News from the Franz Josef community

Community Centre Facelift

Franz Josef Community Centre has recently undergone a facelift. Due to a successful Lotteries funding application in 2022, the community centre has been rid of moss and lichen, given a waterblast/clean and to complete this large project, all the steel got painted this summer! The work was done by the Mossbuster team for the entire project. They took on the complete job, from spraying the moss and lichen twice, to water-blasting the building to painting all the steel on the entire main hall.

This was a 2-year project involving planning and applying for funding, sourcing contractors and having the works completed.

Sportsgear funding

Franz Josef Community Centre received a fantastic funding boost in January with $6,740 from the Food Stuffs South Island Community Trust, through Josh and Kirsty Flavell’s Franz Josef Four Square Store.

The funding will go towards replacing, and in some cases providing, equipment for local sports groups and playgroups that operate out of the community centre including badminton, netball, volleyball, soccer, and the local scout group.

Franz Josef Community Development Officer Sabine Grift-Verschuur was delighted at the funding boost. “We’re so excited to be able to give the Franz Josef Community Centre the upgrades and equipment it needed, and we look forward to providing great experiences and facilities for all members of the community and visitors to enjoy,” Sabine says.

Text and photos – Franz Josef Community Development Officer

Recycling tips

You may be aware that from 1 February 2024 kerbside recycling has been standardised across New Zealand. These are the only things that can be put into recycling bins:

• Food and drink tins and cans – if the lid is still attached you can recycle that too.
• Paper and cardboard, including clean pizza boxes (scrape off any food scraps)
• Plastic bottles, trays and containers with the recycling number 1, 2 and 5.
• Glass bottles and jars (except for Westland, Hurunui and Clutha District Councils)

More information is available on the Ministry for the Environment’s website.

This means that there aren’t any changes for recycling services in Westland. From 2026 kerbside glass recycling will also be collected.

This video tells you more about recycling plastic containers and what happens to them when they have been collected.

Busy summer at the Heritage Park

Many members have been away over the holiday period, but the Park has still been a busy place.

We hosted several visiting miniature railway enthusiasts from Halswell and Brayshaw Park over the Christmas and New Year period and, as usual, they gave our visitors lots of rides on the Mudfish Bush Railway. Work on planning the station buildings and layout continues.

Nick Bennett contracting has finished the new ‘Tracks and Wheels’ shed including concreting the floor.  As soon as the lights are installed, we will be able to start moving items of plant in for the display.

In the meantime, the power supply has been completed to the Tracks and Wheels shed including livening the supply to the railway station. That leaves the new Boat Shed as the last item to be connected to the new upgraded power system along the south side of the Park.

A grant from the Tourism Infrastructure Fund through the Westland District Council, has allowed us to let a contract to Henry Adams Contracting to carry out improvements to the yard including some major drainage improvements. The old Hokitika gaol had to be moved to allow the work to proceed. A large crane and transporter moved it to its new home near the Fire Museum. The work has progressed well. The drainage work is complete, and the yard is ready for sealing. That should be completed as soon as weather and resources allow.

The Livery team has been busy with the annual task of dressing the leather. All the many items including saddles and reins have been cleaned and dressed.

Maria and her team have been busy this month. As well as the usual interest in the sewing machines and looms, they have hosted a flower making workshop that attracted a lot of interest. A three-day tapestry workshop is planned for 23 to 25 February. A Wool day to illustrate and demonstrate the wool processes from sheep to finished garment is planned for 23 March.

In the Heritage Centre work has continued on the Dairy display and a big cleanup was undertaken to make way for the aviation display that coincided with the Aviation 100 weekend at the Airport. The Foxmoth aeroplane has been reassembled and repositioned and information boards and videos added.

We have also launched a brand-new website! See our website for how you can get involved, it gives you a little taste for what you’ll want to come see in person.

We are open to the public on Wednesdays and Saturdays but look out for additional events. Come and see our displays and talk to our members and join us if you like what you see.

Text and images: Westland Industrial Heritage Park

Events at the library

We have lots happening in February at the library. Our regular programmes are all back underway for the new year and we have some great events taking place too. Keep an eye on our Facebook page or check out the events calendar on our website to keep up to date with What’s On at the library.

What to do with dog poo?

Responsible dog owners are expected to clean up and remove their dog’s poo when out and about (you can be fined if you don’t), and there’s also the issue of what to do with dog poo in your own backyard. If you’re looking for an alternative to putting it in a plastic bag in your rubbish bin, then consider a composting system.

If this is an option for you then make sure that your composting system is separate from your regular compost and only use it for ornamental gardens (not your vegetable garden or fruit trees!).

There are different systems for composting pet waste. You can buy a commercial system that uses enzymes or go the DIY route and build your own with compost worms.

The Composting Collective has lots of information for anyone interested in changing how they deal with their pet’s waste.

Another successful Driftwood and Sands

Overall, the event went well with over 60 entries. The beach was alive with people viewing the works in progress, talking to the artists and taking photos.

We had a few exciting moments with wind gusts taking down most of our flags at one point, and waves breaking over the beach in the middle of the day during a king tide. It was quite a spectacular sight, we expected sculptures to be washed away, but only a few were threatened.

Our guest judge was Lyttleton sculptor Mark Whyte, who got to know the beach well and enjoyed being part of the event. Festival founder, Donald Buglass built an enormous camera overlooking the beach (a SLR 500, he tells us), and being well anchored and constructed, it will be there for some time to come (tides-willing). Our new branded gazebo looked fabulous, and worked well, a good investment for future years. Thanks to the Council for improving the beach accessways, crucial for artists and visitors to get safely onto the beach. Sunset Point was ‘well-groomed’ the public toilets were always clean, giving a great impression of our town.

Text and images – Driftwood and Sands

Facets Anne Daniel Grand winner 2024

Eye of Hokitika team

Pirates Ahoy by Tasman Smith 2024

H.kitika Sunset Photo DNeale

Sue Asplin, Anne Daniel, Mark Whyte