Gibbston Community Association chairwoman Susan Stevens
stands where one of the wickets will be on the community's
cricket oval, which is being developed on a reserve off
Coal Pit Rd, in Gibbston valley. Association committee
member Greg Hay stands in the distance where the second
wicket will be. Photo by James Beech.
Gibbston valley residents could be playing their first
friendly cricket match against Cardrona and Bannockburn rivals
by Christmas, if the extraordinary pace of the development of
the reserve keeps up.
"The grass is well established and we'll be playing the first
game next summer," Gibbston Community Association chairwoman
Susan Stevens said this week.
Supplies, work and professional time to the value of about
$100,000 has been donated by the 83 paying and subscribing
members of the association, who live in the 100 households
between the Kawarau River bridge and Nevis Bluff, and about
50 national suppliers.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council also contributed
$25,000 towards transforming the 1.2ha council-owned reserve
into a dedicated community focal point in the valley.
A total of 30 irrigation pods on the oval, off Coal Pit Rd,
have been paid for by the council and a further 20 pods have
been paid for by residents.
Association committee member Greg Hay said a "fruit salad" of
19 trees, including pear and apple trees, were donated and
planted in November by residents for the orchard.
About 200m of fencing and gates were installed in November.
The association has chosen a company to complete a $30,000 to
$40,000 permanent concrete and roofed barbecue facility by
July. The electricity supply would be on a timer and funded
by the council.
A pair of wheelchair-accessible toilets, the first public
facility in Gibbston, are expected to be finished in the next
month.
Bookmark/Search this post with:
A name, residential address, and (preferably residential) telephone number is required from readers who comment on ODT Online. These details will not be visible to site visitors.