The larger-than-life bronze statue of rally driver Possum
Bourne that stood on a hillside overlooking the Cardrona
Valley for the past eight years has been taken to the North
Island.
Valley residents Mary and John Lee said the statue was moved
over Labour Weekend while they were away and Mr Lee said they
were sad it had been taken without them being advised.
"We would like to have said farewell."
The man behind the move, former Race to the Sky hill climb
event director Grant Aitken would not tell the Otago Daily
Times where the statue was but in July announced it was
to be moved to a prominent place in Mr Bourne's hometown of
Pukekohe.
The proposed move drew comments from some rally enthusiasts
who believed it should remain in the Cardrona Valley.
Mr Aitken has been critical of the ODT for reporting
those views.
"We're disappointed with the negative spin on it. It's the
wishes of the family and that's the deal."
He noted the statue's removal had gone unreported for more
than a fortnight.
"It's kind of interesting that there was so much local
concern about it going away, supposedly, that it's been
unnoticed.
"It's kind of comical really."
The statue was erected in 2004, the year after Mr Bourne died
from injuries he received in a crash on the Snow Farm access
road before the 2003 event.
mark.price@odt.co.nz
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