Hairy and friends find new home in city

Creative Tauranga chief executive Tracey Rudduck-Gudsell and Slinky Malinki who will find it's new home on Tauranga's waterfront in July. Photo / Ruth Keber

All the money needed for the Hairy Maclary statues has been raised and work on the waterfront feature will begin early next month.

The Bay of Plenty Times can today reveal about $660,000 has been raised and the statues will most likely be installed in July.

Creative Tauranga chief executive Tracey Rudduck-Gudsell said the project had taken seven years but was finally ready.

"From the initial thought, meeting and talking to Lynley and then having to deal with her legal teams and that side of thing, that took a couple of years before we launched into fundraising, concept and go. It's been a big journey."

Ms Rudduck-Gudsell confirmed exclusively to the Bay of Plenty Times that Hairy Maclary and eight of his friends would be installed in July, weather permitting, with work at the site starting June 2.

"It will be a legacy for the city and a real sense of pride for everybody here that Hairy now has an official home."

The scene will include the nine bronze statues, seating, trees, plantings and a cobblestone path to bring to life one of the pages in a Hairy Maclary story book, she said.

"It's definitely here. It will be a complete story-book-setting. You should feel like you are walking into a story-book page."

Ms Rudduck-Gudsell said she could become teary when she finally saw her project in the ground. "I think what will bring the tears will be seeing the reaction from people. You can imagine what the selfies are going to be like down there."

"We've had a little girl coming in for a couple of years from Te Puke and other children who come in, they just hug and kiss the statues and they tell you lines out of books and for me, that is what it is all about.

"It's generational too. We have great grandparents who have read the books, Hairy has been around for over 30 years so there are generations of families who have read stories together."

The project was only able to be finished thanks to the many donations Creative Tauranga has had from the community, TECT, local Rotary clubs and grants, Ms Rudduck-Gudsell said.

"We have had amazing commitment to fundraise over the last five years. We've seen how much people want the project by those who come through here to see the sculptures."