Nelson Weekly Locally Owned and Operated
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Wednesday 1 May 2024
Tāhuna tree fenced off as ‘play risk’
KATE RUSSELL A new wooden train will soon be chugging its way into the Tāhunanui Beach Lions Playground after the nearby macrocarpa tree was fenced off last week. The tree was deemed a “play risk” by an external Playsafe inspector and contractors have since increased the dune and fencing was
installed last Wednesday, at a cost of $7,592. The old concrete train, which was installed by the Nelson Host Lions Club in 1964, was removed abruptly by Nelson City Council in September last year after it suffered damage and posed a health and safety risk. After much shock, concern, and discussion from the communi-
ty following its departure, the club has announced that they are ready to begin on a replacement train. “It will be wooden this time as this is more durable and user-friendly,” president Paul Mine says. The train will be built with the help of the MenzShed Waimea and the council, however, to have community involvement
and ownership in the project, a Givealittle page will be set up soon. “Any assistance we can get will be appreciated and will go to the improvement of the playground,” Paul says. The council’s acting group manager community services, Martin Croft, says other options were explored for the macrocarpa
tree, such as removing the tree, turning it into a play element, or cutting it back “substantially”. These options were presented in a report by Playsafe, following an investigation the same month the train was removed. The investigation cost $575. The recommended option in the
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Curtains draw on 64 years GORDON PREECE “Singing and music has been my life.” Barbara Lane first took to the now-called Nelson Red Door Theatre stage in 1960, and she has charmed thousands in her plethora of timeless productions as well as playing a starring role on the committee. The 93-year-old, who retired from the committee three years ago but still volunteers at the Atawhai Dr theatre, says she had returned to Nelson after a four-year stint as a nurse in Los Angeles when a friend invited her to an Oklahoma! rehearsal at the now defunct St Mary’s Hall. She says the whole shebang of the local theatre scene at the Nelson Amateur Operatic Society, as it was known then, struck a chord with her to become involved. “Singing and music has been my life, and I really loved the times when I was in the
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During her more than six decades at a Nelson theatre, Barbara Lane performed many roles including the lead in Chu Chin Chow in 1973 (pictured). Photo: Gordon Preece.
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