The 7.5m Hands of Fame statue, erected by the Gore Country Music Club, was reinstalled yesterday morning, much to the relief of club president Julie Mitchell.
The new, improved statue was supposed to be done by the end of April and as the Tussock Country music festival crept closer and closer she was beginning to get nervous, Mrs Mitchell said.
The new, steel-clad statue was worth the wait, and she hoped it would now stand tall for another 20 years.
When the statue was removed for refurbishment in March, Gold Guitar Awards convener Phillip Geary said the grouting on tile-covered statue was cracking, letting in water that was freezing during the Southland winter.
This process caused quite a few of the tiles to become dislodged, he said.
The tiles were removed by Custom Build and replaced with a metal facade.
The paint work on the steel was done by Beatties Collision Repair Centre in Gore.
Mrs Mitchell said the makeover cost of about $30,000 was paid for by the club in anticipation of this year’s festival and the Gold Guitars.
It is anticipated the awards and the festival this year will attract more visitors to Gore than any previous year.
The statue was erected by the club in 2004, to honour those who have made significant contribution to New Zealand country music.
