Dannevirke: Walkway takes first steps since stopping last year

William Marchal stops for a chat with Sarah and Margie Delaney, who was delivering chocolate cake to the volunteers working on Dannevirke's walkway last Friday. Photo / Christine McKay

After being stopped in its tracks since late last year, Dannevirke's walkway project has taken its first faltering steps along Smith Rd.

A project first mooted by David Martin in 2008, work began on the Smith Rd/Adelaide Rd section of the walkway in December last year, then stalled while discussions were held with a landowner.

Now service groups are at work again, helped by a generous donation from the Monty Fairbrother Charitable Trust.

Tim Delaney (left) and Mike Brock with workers on the Smith Rd section of the walkway last Friday.

"We've received $20,000 from the trust, which is great support for the project," Bob Dresser, chairman of the Dannevirke Community Board, said.

Board member Ernie Christison says the donation will mean progress can now be made on the Adelaide Rd section of the walkway.

"We've got the green light to get to Cole St, but we're trying to get some more groups involved in the work," he said.

"We all need to come together and work as one."

Fellow board member Tim Delaney said it was good to see the Dannevirke Lions and Rotary clubs working together on the project, but Mr Dresser said he was also aware of other groups who wanted to be involved too.

Last Friday, students from UCOL were working on the project, in partnership with the Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre in Masterton, with Dannevirke's Mike Brock as tutor.

Mr Brock, who is a member of the Dannevirke Lions, said the project was a different experience for the students.

"They are doing something useful which helps the community and is a win-win all around," he said.

Mr Delaney said Rotary's Chris Southgate had done the hard yards in making things happen - Friday's crew was working on fencing along the walkway.

With some help from William Marchal from Alsace in France, a builder by trade, who is in Dannevirke on a Helpx international exchange programme, the fence line was making good progress.

"As well as the fence line, a lot of what we've been doing has been gravel and fill," Mr Delaney said.

"It just depends on what we uncover along the way."

Helping things go sweetly last Friday was a lunchtime smoko break with homemade chocolate cake from Margie Delaney and Frenchwoman Sarah.

However, Mr Delaney would not be drawn on whether the chocolate cake would become a working bee staple.