Are you keen to volunteer?
Westland Industrial Heritage Park
The Park held its AGM on 17 July. President Bruce Hackett stood down after 3 years and was replaced by Bob Gaiger. All other officers remained the same.
In his annual report, Bruce noted that we had made significant progress during the year and thanked all members and supporters for their contributions especially the regular hard core of volunteers who do so much work around the Park. He acknowledged the support from the Hokitika Museum, Westland District Council, Destination Westland, Destination Hokitika, the Hokitika Community Trust and a number of local companies and funding organisations. Highlights for the year have been the “Better Off” and “Tourism Infrastructure” funded projects to upgrade the Park’s power supply, carry out yard and drainage improvements and build the new Tracks and Wheels shed and Maritime Centre. More development is being considered with funding applications being made to develop a new Heritage Craft Centre.
He reported that we had started to recognise the efforts of members with some social events, and these have proved popular and successful.
Even with the bigger projects going on, other work has continued. The Livery team are working on an old Tip Dray and the Foster Coach, the Steam Shed has had a major clean-out ready for work to begin on the wall linings and displays and development continues at the railway station. The “sewing machine display” is a totally inadequate way to describe the collection of machines, looms, spinning wheels and the like and the stories that are being told.
As we grow, become more popular, and more people visit, the administration of the organisation also becomes a mammoth task. So, we need more members. Although our volunteers are mostly ‘older men’ there is no barrier to anyone becoming a member. We welcome everyone. If you would like to become a volunteer come up and visit us, see what we do and talk to some of our members. One of our members has coined the phrase “we are a geriatric play-centre”. Let’s see if we can get rid of the geriatric label!
If you’re interested, contact us at wihpark@gmail.com to find out more.
Text and images: Westland Industrial Heritage Park
Images of the maritime centre poles going up.
