Dale the Avondale spider statue forced to relocate, locals pitch ideas for new site

Dale, the Avondale Spider, has been a fixture in the community for over 20 years. Photo / Google Maps

The Avondale community is brainstorming ideas to come up with a new location for its beloved mascot Dale, the Avondale Spider.

Towering above a square on the suburb’s main street, Dale has been a beloved fixture for over 20 years.

But the five-metre-wide, eight-legged arachnid will have to move because of construction work on the community centre and library in 2025.

Nervous that the metal fixture would be destroyed, the community has begun to pitch ideas for his new location.

Avondale Business Association chairman Marcus Amosa recognised the sentimental value of Dale, who has become a “cherished symbol for many in the community” and confirmed plans to keep the statue in the community.

“As part of the development plans, the spider statue will be relocated, and we are committed to working proactively with Panuku [urban regeneration agency Eke Panuku] and our community to ensure a smooth transition for the spider statue,” Amosa said.

“This collaborative effort emphasises our dedication to preserving some of the elements that contribute to the unique identity of Avondale while fostering its growth and regeneration.”

Locals have taken to Facebook to pitch their ideas of where Dale should move, with the most popular suggestion being the middle of the Avondale roundabout.

Another leading contender is the entrance to Avondale’s main street on the intersection of Great North Rd and Ash St.

Eke Panuku priority location director Richard Davison, who is overseeing the development, said it had been great to see so many in the community come forward with suggestions for possible sites.

“Given his age, Dale is due a little TLC, so when the time comes to remove him from his current site to allow work to begin, we expect this will be a good opportunity for Dale to receive some much-needed repairs,” Davison said.

The monument was installed in 2000 after a period in which Dale was stored beneath the Spiders Bar. He was ordered off his former home on the roof of the Avondale Mobil service station by Mobil head office in Australia.

Dale is a statue of the Australian huntsman spiders that settled in Avondale in the 1920s. It is assumed they were introduced through wood used for railway sleepers sent over from Australia.

Avondale spiders were famously used in the movies Arachnophobia and Spiderman.

Rachel Maher is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. She has worked for the Herald since 2022.