Lakeside Trail to open at Bason Botanic Gardens alongside Ivan Vostinar sculpture

A new statue and seat by artist Ivan Vostinar has been installed at the Bason Botanic Gardens. Photo / Bevan Conley

The new Lakeside Trail at the Bason Botanic Gardens will officially be opened this weekend, along with the unveiling of a new sculpture.

The trail was put together by Bason Botanic Gardens Trust over several years and was due to open in 2021, but its completion was delayed due to Covid-19.

“The gardens are a sanctuary for people and plants, for family, community and art. A place to enjoy, rest and recuperate,” trust board chairman Terry Dowdeswell said.

A short ceremony will begin at midday on Saturday at the start of the walkway, near the Japanese Tea House. Visitors are then invited to walk the trail, and artist Ivan Vostinar will be present at the sculpture for a short time afterwards.

'How Do I Relate With Nature' is Ivan Vostinar's piece, to be unveiled this weekend.

Vostinar was granted the Public Art Fund in 2021 for the proposed piece, titled How Do I Relate With Nature. The sculpture of a reclining figure is 4.6 metres tall and is located at the highest point of the walkway.

Vostinar also created a seat that complements his sculpture, encouraging walkers to reflect and enjoy the same view. Both the lakeside walkway and seat were funded by private donations.

“In the 53 years since Stanley and Blanche Bason gave their farm to the community, the space has been developed into the Bason Botanic Gardens with the help of donations and bequests,” Dowdeswell said.

“Through the work of the council parks team and contracted maintenance teams, as well as input from the public, it has now become a significant botanical reserve and a place of recreation, education and enjoyment for both Whanganui families and outside visitors.

Whanganui Deputy Mayor Helen Craig said the Public Art Fund encouraged local artists to think big, and Vostinar’s sculpture was a perfect illustration of that.

“Upscaling from a model takes a totally different set of skills and risks, requiring engineering, structural integrity, injury assessment if it’s climbable, and durability to the elements in an outdoor environment,” she said.

The Details

What: The official opening of the Lakeside Trail, complete with sculpture and seat

When: Saturday, April 29, midday

Where: Bason Botanic Gardens, 552 Rapanui Rd, Whanganui