Tūroa skifield to close for 'critical' staff to attend well-respected staff member and councillor's funeral

Turoa ski field will be closed tomorrow for staff to attend colleague Ben Goddard's funeral. Photo / Givealittle

Tūroa will be closed to skiers and boarders tomorrow so staff can attend the funeral of well-respected and long serving staff member Ben Goddard.

Goddard, a long-serving district councillor who had been working for Ruapehu Alpine Lifts in its workshop repairing and maintaining the lifts and vehicles, for more than a decade died last week due to a medical event.

His funeral is to be held tomorrow morning at Ohakune Primary School.

Ruapehu Alpine Lifts will close Tūroa tomorrow so many of its "critical staff" can attend.

"We wanted to let you know in advance that Tūroa will be closed tomorrow for many of our critical staff to attend a funeral. Unfortunately one of our long standing and well-respected team members passed away last week," RAL posted in a statement on Facebook this afternoon.

Whakapapa will remain open weather depending.

RAL chief executive Jono Dean said Turoa would be closed tomorrow as a mark of respect for Goddard and his family, and a lot of staff members would be attending the funeral.

"It's a fitting tribute for such a stalwart of the community as well as Ben being a member of the RAL team. He was a key member of the community, who dedicatedly gave a lot back to the community in volunteer roles and on the local council, and will be missed."

Prior to working at RAL, he ran Goddard Automotive in Ohakune for 35 years and spent years volunteering in the Ohakune Fire Service where he previously held the role of fire chief. He was also instrumental in setting up the St John ambulance station and health shuttles in the town.

Ruapehu mayor John Cameron said Goddard was a much-loved councillor who made a significant contribution to his community through many years of dedicated service.

He has represented the Waimarino-Waiouru ward on the Ruapehu District Council since winning a byelection in 2011.

Cameron expected there would be a huge turnout from the community for his funeral.

"There will not only be councillors, community board and also the staff from Ruapehu District Council, obviously RAL staff and St John where he was the chair of St John Ohakune and he was also the director of Ruapehu Health ... it will be a huge funeral."

While Cameron wasn't aware of any of the other organisations closing - he expected some like the council's Ohakune office would be running on a skeleton staff.

A Givealittle page has also been set up by a close family friend to go towards funeral costs and any other expenses.