Why I love Wanganui - Basil Banks

As we celebrate all the things that make Wanganui a great place to live, we invite people to participate in our little questionnaire.

Name: Basil Banks

Age: 83 on September 19

How long have you lived in Wanganui? 29 years

What attracted you to the region? My wife and I were married in Britain in 1975 and she wanted to come back home so we came back on December 26, 1975, and I landed the job of budgeting controller for Waitaki International Meat Company.

Who is the city/region's unsung hero? Jill Pettis - an honest hard working woman who has had no reward for her good work as MP and councillor

What do you most like about living here? Wanganui River Road and the city is much more laid back than other cities. The Health Board and hospital needs sorting out badly.

If there was one thing you could change about Wanganui for the better, what would it be? It would be the state of the footpaths and the high drops from pavement to road makes it very dangerous for wheelchair and mobility scooter users, also the debris from trees comes twigs - broken glass could all be done by those who have been sentenced to community work.

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  What makes Wanganui great? Share your views. Log on and post a comment on our Facebook page, or email editor@wanganuichronicle.co.nz (subject line: Celebrating Wanganui) or post to Celebrating Wanganui, Editorial, Wanganui Chronicle, PO Box 433, Wanganui.