Summerhill Charitable Trust couple to retire

Cloie and David Blackley and their dog named Buck.

Cloie and David Blackley have officially retired this week as trustees of the Summerhill Charitable Trust.

But the two say their departure from the trust will not affect public access to their expansive green space high in the Papamoa Hills — known to many for its mountain bike trails and easy access to the Papamoa Hills Regional Park.

A special function marking the retirement of the octogenarian couple was held at their Reid Rd property last week. They received the Emeritus Trustees honour in acknowledgement of their philanthropy.

Cloie has handed over the chairperson's reigns to one of their four daughters — Gabrielle Walton. The expectation is that there will always be a family member on the Trust, Cloie says.

Gabrielle says her parents' generosity has resulted in the Summerhill property being held in a Charitable Trust.

"This means the property is available and open to the public in perpetuity," she says.
Summerhill is used by a wide variety of community organisations for recreation and education purposes.

These include Tauranga Search & Rescue, Bay of Plenty Schools, Tauranga Mountain Bike Club, running and orienteering clubs and walking groups. Many of the groups hold regular events at Summerhill, some of which have become regionally and nationally recognised.

Cloie, a retired doctor, and her farmer husband, moved to Reid Road in the 1960s, back in the days when there was only one other family on the road. They estimate there are now about 30.

Over the years they have bought adjacent farms and lifestyle blocks with Summerhill growing to encompass its present 404ha .

David developed the land, farming mostly sheep and cattle, and a fair chunk — about half — is in forestry.

David's involvement is still hands-on — he's out on the farm every day but he has swapped the horse for the motorbike.

Establishing the Summerhill Charitable Trust was Cloie's idea.

"I wanted to keep green space.

" I am frightened by the overwhelming amount of subdivision that goes on and I didn't want to see this farm subdivided any further.

"A green space, but also a working farm and forest to be used for public recreation and education.

"I think we have been very privileged and fortunate to reside here."

Cloie may be retiring from her Trust duties but her interest has not waned.

She has plans that will involve creating park-like planting of predominantly natives to replace a commercial forestry crop in the mountain biking area.

David will remain on the DL Blackley Charitable Trust, which he established. Under this sits Summerhill A1 Youth Academy, which supports a youth leadership programme at Summerhill, from which about 350 young people have graduated.