Auckland-based artist Flox with her Whanganui Walls work in Maria Pl. Photo / Bevan Conley
Auckland-based artist Flox with her Whanganui Walls work in Maria Pl. Photo / Bevan Conley
As 2021 draws to a close, we look back at some of the news highlights of what has been another year like no other.
Whanganui was in Covid-19 alert level 2 as March began, after the discovery of community cases in Auckland.
March 1
Local residents who had been intriguedby the presence of overseas visitors and vintage cars finally learned that a film crew had been at work around the town.
It was based at a rural property near Fordell, with security guards at a gate on Warrengate Rd.
Ohakea Memorial Hall was transformed into a Texan petrol station for a film shoot. Photo / Luke Chandler
On the evening of March 1, the Cobham Bridge was blocked for filming. Some of the vehicles were black and white vintage police cars with Texas number plates.
Another movie location was the Ohakea Memorial Hall, made to look like a petrol station in the United States midwest.
Stars in the adult horror movie included Brittany Snow, Jenna Ortega and rapper Scott Mescudi (Kid Cudi).
Economic development agency Whanganui & Partners revealed that it had been helping the film studio find suitable locations.
March 6
The Covid-19 restrictions cancelled the Whanganui River Markets on March 6, but the alert level shifted back to 1 the next day.
March 11
A project that had some Rangitīkei councillors muttering erupted onto the front page, with a "sobering" report on the construction of the new Te Matapihi/Bulls Community Centre which finally opened in September 2020 after delays and a $2 million budget blowout.
The report said a project manager would have been useful for a project of that size and with a budget of more than $8 million.
At the same time, the Coastal Restoration Trust conference in Whanganui focused attention on the "grooming" of Castlecliff Beach, and whether vegetated dunes instead of an open beach would prevent sand blowing into the car park.
The drop to alert level 1 was a great relief to event organiser Gioia Damosso, whose first Sound Valley music festival took place on March 13-14 at Oceanview Speedway on scorching days.
On March 13 Anti-P Ministry campaigner Brendon Warne was in town with his bus, and there were speakers, singers and information at Majestic Square.
The same day former cancer sufferer Tracey Thomas walked for 18 hours in the Cancer Society's annual Relay for Life - finishing tired and sore but raising $3000 to help other sufferers.
March 15
Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui Trust's chief executive Ray Hall announced that he had resigned for family reasons, after just 18 months in the role.
March 17
Many in town were sobered when businessman Robert Bartley died after a long battle with cancer. He was the owner and founder of the Bartley Group of businesses, employing more than 100 people.
Respected Whanganui businessman and community stalwart Robert Bartley died in March after a long battle with cancer. Photo / Supplied
He had been awarded a QSM for services to the community in 2019, and established the Robert Bartley Foundation, a provider mainly of health services.
March 19-28
The month finished with the annual Artists Open Studios event from March 19 to 28, and this year there was the addition of Whanganui Walls, a music and mural festival on the first weekend.
Adie Higginson opened his woodworking studio to visitors. Photo / Bevan Conley
It was the second Whanganui Walls event and eight walls were painted, with crowds gathering at each one and music on the Saturday night in Majestic Square.
Organisers were happy with the success of both events, and artists reported some good sales. Sunny weather and bright new walls helped to alleviate the Covid gloom.
