Rotary member Pam Broadhead said the idea for the new signs came from a member mentioning that other than a plaque on a bench near the sculpture there was no mention of the club’s involvement with the sculpture.
After a lot of discussions, the club approached the Central Otago District Council asking for permission to install new signage, the council were happy for new a sign to replace the old one, Mrs Broadhead said.
Rotary and the council worked together to ensure the signage fit the look and feel of other signs in the town.
The club was able to look back at records and found out how the sculpture was built after a competition to find something significant to put at the entrance to Cromwell.
The Rotary’s side of the sign would tell the story of the new entrance to Cromwell, key facts about the cost and construction of the sculpture and the role the club played.
The original fruit sculpture reflected the main produce of Central Otago at the time, but as things changed in the nearly 40 years since it was completed, the council’s side of the sign would reflect the new produce of the region.
"This is an opportunity to talk about the cherries and the grapes on the other side, and the other things that happen in our valley," Mrs Broadhead said.
The council designed their side of the sign and Rotary designed their side as well as paid to have both sides printed and installed, she said.
During the upgrade of the area near the sculpture in 2021 to include a playground and new recreational spaces, Cromwell Rotary Club donated a bench dedicated to past Rotarians.
As well as the new signs, Rotary worked with the Cromwell Menzshed to create a second bench to the same specifications as the original.
