It’s the first of many historic items, mostly from the area, expected to grace the two tennis courts next to the popular hall on Ashburton Staveley Road.
The deteriorated, and unused, tennis courts will be spruced up to house an open machinery museum.
Greenstreet/Ashburton Forks Reserve Board chair Ian Hodge said board members had considered many options for the site, including resurfacing and laying grass but the cost and ongoing maintenance would prove too much.
After much discussion Greenstreet resident and fellow board member Rob Marriott came up with the idea of a vintage machinery museum, he said.
It was unanimously agreed by the other members of the board: Peter Elder, Sue Scott, Alison Aschen, Bubbles Hastie and Jonathan Ward.
“We think there will be lot of vintage machinery sitting in people’s sheds they may want to donate,” Mr Hodge said.
The site had already been assessed by Greg Donaldson Contractors and some funding secured through the Ashburton District Council.
Plans included covering the site with weed-matting, then white pebbles or stone and walkways being lined with wooden borders.
Mr Hodge said there had been a lot of support from members of the community. It was expected the work would be done within a year as one of the conditions of council funding.
The community was amazing and is often quick to offer help or services that help reduce the cost to the committee, Mr Hodge said.
But there was some additional funding available if it was needed, raised through hall hire and regular Greenstreet community events.
The most recent was the annual Greenstreet/Ashburton Forks quiz night held last month.
The social event drew a large crowd with some great prizes up for grabs, Mr Hodge said.
The board also hosts an annual Guy Fawkes event and a traditional Kiwi Christmas barbecue complete with sack races and a visit by Father Christmas who arrives by motorcycle with gifts for the children.
The hall and playground area on the site have seen many improvements in recent years including painting as well as roof/flooring repairs and upgrades.
There are also plans to update the hall’s kitchen facilities.
“It’s in a good state of repair,” he said, of the hall.
He said in the coming weeks the board would be calling for vintage machinery pieces but anyone with items for consideration could contact board members.
