Surf sculpture has go ahead for Oneroa Walkway

THREE GENERATIONS OF SURFING: A digital image of an art sculpture designed by Paulus McKinnon, to be installed at Roberts Road by the end of the year. File picture

A SCULPTURE depicting Gisborne’s historic association with surfing is planned to be installed later this year. GDC granted consent for the project in October 2017.

Gisborne District Council Arts in Public Places Trust (AIPP) trustee Kay Crosby said major fundraising was under way.

“We need to raise $67,000 and so far we have just under $42,000. We are busy applying to trusts and are working towards having the sculpture in place by the end of the year,” she said.

Gisborne District Council will pay for the sculpture's installation, including the plinth and the plaque. Most of the funding for the sculpture will come from trusts and foundations.

Mayor Meng Foon, AIPP chairman, said the committee had gone through quotes and worked with art creator Paulus McKinnon to create the sculpture.

He said surfing was a national sport and many national and international visitors came to surf here.

“We hold many events and now that surfing is an Olympic sport we hope to see some top locals winning medals at the 2020 Olympic Games in Japan,” he said.

The statue will be built with 12mm plate steel that would rust naturally. The natural material had a relationship to the nearby port, Mr McKinnon said when the project was announced.

The sculpture has been designed to tell future generations and visitors enjoying the Oneroa Walkway about how surfing started in Gisborne.

Gail Patty, who initiated the project, is one of Gisborne's original female surfers and had her first experience of riding waves at Roberts Road in the summer of 1962.

“Over 50 years have passed since then and it’s fantastic to see three generations of families romping in the waves together,” she said.

The sculpture will show three different types of surfboards as outlines, so not to restrict views of the bay.

The three surfboards represent three generations of surfers and three eras of surfing: the 50s, 60s to 80s, to the present day.

“It will be a constantly shifting viewpoint so you never get the same view of the sculpture as you walk around it,” Mr McKinnon said.

“The shapes will sort of move in relationship to each other.”

Mr Foon acknowledged the support from Amber Dunn for RMA coastal environmental expertise and George Winkler from LDE for donation of geotechnical and engineering support, and also the Gisborne surfing community for their contribution to the fundraising effort.

Contact Gisborne District Council to make a donation.