Kaikohe gets makeover in fierce weather

Kameta Welsh, 7, of Whangarei, keeps her grandfather Kelvin Welsh dry as he installs one of four rimu benches in Library Lane. Photo / Peter De Graaf

Dozens of volunteers braved rain and fierce winds to give their town an intensive, one-day make-over.

A Kaikohe Business Association initiative, the beautification project on Monday included painting the footpath on lower Broadway, installing benches in Library Lane made from timber salvaged from the old Kaikohe Hotel, planting palm trees, and installing picnic tables and planter boxes.

The footpath painting was done by Year 10 Northland College art students under the guidance of teacher Chris Wilkie.

Qianna Titore, 15, painted a series of brightly coloured koru designs.

"I've always loved doing art and I've always wanted to do something for the community. When I saw the murals [a college project in Library Square] I wanted to so something like that, too," Qianna said.

Meanwhile, on Library Lane furniture restorer and teacher Kelvin Welsh was installing a series of benches he had made from rimu studs salvaged from the Kaikohe Hotel.

Each bench is decorated with a koru, the symbol of new life. Not only was the town being rejuvenated, but the now mostly demolished hotel was coming back to life in new ways, he said.

"It's a bit like a seed. Unless the seed dies it can't grow. Out of the death of the old pub comes new life," Mr Welsh said.

Some volunteers came from other towns to show their support, such as Kawakawa's Tai Campbell, who was busy planting palms.

"I'm passionate about this kaupapa, of making Kaikohe even more beautiful," she said.

The make-over got a thumb's up from Percy's Fish Shop owner Cheree Cooper, who said the students' pavement art was wonderful.

"They've really brightened up this end of town," she said.

Business association projects and promotions coordinator Kelly van Gaalen said the idea was to bring several projects together in one day.

Volunteers had also installed bike racks, signs and planter boxes, and returned the "Our Home Town" flags. The council had installed a series of picnic tables.

The bulk of the funding, $50,000, came from Pub Charity with contributions from the Oxford Trust and the Kaikohe-Hokianga Community Board.