Tainui statue given a new location

The newly sited statue on the lakefront.

By Terry Coxon

Virginia Lake Trust Chair

Monday, December 6, marked the first stage of the transfer of the Tainui statue at Virginia Lake to her new selected site, by the lakeshore. The work was carried out by the Bullock Group with Trust volunteers controlling pedestrians. The Trust, frustrated like so many by Covid restrictions, has been patiently waiting to accede to the request of Tainui sculptor, the late Joan Bullock-Morrell, to place her work in a more accessible and visible location, something the Trust Board has also regarded as a priority, for some time. The next stage will be placing a stabilising concrete pad about her rock base to provide good public access and also to place an easy-to-read explanatory signboard, kindly supplied by an anonymous Whanganui donor family.

The statue is removed from its former location.

Background to Tainui Statue (from a Virginia Lake Trust perspective).

Since joining the Trust and its volunteer workers group and then becoming the Trust Chairman about six years ago, the most often discussed issue at our meetings has been one of concern about the Tainui Statue, its bland location, difficulties in terms of its siting and ground maintenance around it and whether its position is still appropriate.

The Tainui legend gained credence as a result of Mr Maxwell J G Smart, well known local historian, relating the story to members of the Wanganui Historical Society who upon Mr Smart's death decided to commission a Tainui statue in memory of him. This was unveiled in his memory in June, 1978. A Mr W Wotton had been commissioned and commenced some basic work on the sculpture, took ill and it was largely completed by Joan Morrell (Bullock), before being placed on its present site.

The site originally chosen was at an intersection of two of Virginia Lake's main tracks, the lakeside one and the middle (working vehicular) track, at what was then a quiet spot on the lakeshore. Since then, about seven years ago, Whanganui District Council installed a large concrete boat ramp to service craft on lake and fountain maintenance, with access to the ramp being around both sides of the statue. As Ben Morrell puts it, the place has become "industrial" in character. Another issue, exacerbated by installation of the ramp is one of poor drainage from the middle track which washes around the statue, carries loose limestone from the path formation onto the ramp making it slippery and has made it extremely difficult to establish reasonable planting behind the statue.

Our issue is that Council either carries out meaningful drainage, roading and other improvements about the site or better still, that consideration be given to an alternative, more accessible site nearer the lakeshore. It is not about maintenance of the statue itself but giving it better exposure and accessibility for the public. Our research indicates that many regular park users are still unaware of her location.