The Rod Donald Trust was delighted to host a community function welcoming new Ranger and Park Staff to the Peninsula area. With around 60 guests enjoying the lovely location at the Akaroa Golf Club in Duvauchelle there was plenty of chatter, food, drinks and cake!
It was a great opportunity to get locals along to meet the new staff and we had a great turn out from the community and other agencies. Organisations represented were Christchurch City Council, Department of Conservation, Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust, Hinewai Reserve, Akaroa Marine Protection Society, local Reserve Committee members, local Residents and Ratepayers Association representatives, Men’s Shed, Langer Reserve, Pohatu Penguins, Woods Ltd, Akaroa Cemetery Restoration, Friends of Banks Peninsula, along with Pam Richardson from the Community Board. This was one of Pam’s last functions so it was a great chance to thank her for all of her hard work and service to our local community over the years.
The Council have decided to run their own parks team locally, whereas the job had been contracted out in the past. With the old CCC depot at Duvauchelle now being given a new lease of life it has been set up as their local base, with office space, sheds and a yard to store all of the equipment. It is great to know that we have a team on hand, living locally and with knowledge of the area, who can be easily called upon when needed. Rodney Chambers, who has now been assigned as a CCC Regional Parks Ranger for Banks Peninsula, was a previous owner of the Rod Donald Hut, so he has a very special local connection!
Sam Gilooley joins the Department of Conservation to work with Tom MacTavish from the DOC base at Duvauchelle. Sam replaces Derek Cox, who has moved away from the area.
The new Banks Peninsula Wildside Coordinator is Alice Webster, who is filling the role previously held by Marie Haley. Alice will spend time in the BPCT office at Tai Tapu but is living locally in a location handy to much of the work she will be overseeing.
The new staff welcomed were:
- Paddy Macbeth – CCC Community Parks
- Fiona Waghorn – CCC Community Parks
- Paul Bainbridge – CCC Community Parks
- John Fitch – CCC Regional Parks Ranger
- Rodney Chambers – CCC Regional Parks Ranger
- Sam Gillooly – new DOC Ranger
- Kerri Bowen – CCC Community Parks Team Leader
- Alice Webster – BPCT Wildside Co-ordinator
We wish these new staff members all of the best and are grateful for their knowledge and enthusiasm, which we know will make a real difference in our local community.
