Broadwood locals unite to restore picnic spot using handmade mosaics

Broadwood locals are crafting new mosaics at the Resource Centre every Tuesday and Wednesday.

Mosaic tiles made in Kaitāia years ago and once packed away in storage are being brought to life as Broadwood locals rebuild their picnic area.

Locals have rallied to rebuild the area with hundreds of handmade mosaics, fruit trees and seating.

Earlier this year when tables were removed from the Broadwood Picnic Area, several members of the community brainstormed, including Gay Semenoff and Jen Gay.

Gay was the original artist involved in the 600-plus mosaic tiles made by the Kaitāia community and previously used in the area near Pak’nSave when it was in the township.

“We make individual tiles to cover the whole area, it is very labour intensive, but it’s a fantastic community building exercise with school kids involved as well,” she said.

Resident Robin Henry said a concept plan was drawn up relocating the mosaic panels in storage to Broadwood and reusing them in the picnic area, with the Broadwood community making additional mosaic tiles.

“These tiles were in storage and needed a second life.

“This would also tie in with a previous mosaic project some years ago where the school children had made mosaic tiles on the approach to the Broadwood bridge – this being directly opposite the entrance to the picnic area.”

After some 12 months, and approximately 10 council consents, the project could get started.

A call went out to the community for broken china and bricks – and a drop-off point was set up at the property adjoining the shop. The project is still requiring more china and bricks before completion.

In October, at the start of the fine weather, the Resource Centre in Broadwood was set up as the mosaic base. Open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9.30am to 3.00pm for people to pop in – or stay the day – to make the mosaic tiles.

“New skills included learning mosaic techniques and tile cutting and it proved a great way to get to know other people in the community. Some participants made just a few pieces, while others produced them throughout the day. Schoolchildren have been down to make their tiles – some putting something of significance in for easy recognition,” Henry said.

While the making of mosaics is going on in the Resource Centre there is a second team working on the construction at the picnic area – bottles being made into seats, and panels from Kaitāia being utilised as the corner planter boxes.

Planter boxes will be planted with fruit trees and trained to give shade over the seating areas. There will be round tables to sit around and an area to put a BBQ.

“It is the community’s hope that everyone in the community will make a mosaic tile and those tiles will be a legacy to future generations. As with any artwork, stories emerge – we already know that one of Broadwood’s elderly residents used an old family plate for her tile – joining the great-grandparents’ early pioneering family into the present – and leaving a mark for the future generations,” Henry said.

As in rural communities it is a true community effort with farmers picking up the titles from Kaitāia, using tractors to put in place recycled slabs and others concreting.

“Then hopefully everyone in the Broadwood community has made at least one tile, or contributed in some way and come the completion of the project prior to Christmas, there will be the traditional community BBQ to share the stories of the tiles and project, leaving a lovely community area to be shared and enjoyed by locals and visitors alike,” Henry said.

Henry added, “Ask anyone in Broadwood and they’ll tell you this project belongs to everyone. From farmers moving slabs with tractors to schoolchildren making tiles, the community has thrown itself into rebuilding the picnic area after its tables were taken.”