Wednesday, June 17, 2020 Since Sept 27, 1879 Retail $2.20 Home delivered from $1.40 THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF MID CANTERBURY Court news Whistle P6 blower P13 A community asset BY HEATHER MACKENZIE raising efforts are too numer- RDA is about so much more Hand-eye co-ordination levels Hooper also pointed out they [email protected] ous to list here, have all worked than simply teaching disabled are improved through throwing benefit greatly from spending Ashburton Riding for the Disa- together to create this amazing children how to ride. balls through hoops, fine motor one-on-one time with adults. bled may own the land, but head place. Hooper said the games and skills are honed by using twee- “Sometimes we can have a coach Maxine Hooper said this To begin with they operat- obstacles, all carried out on zers to pick up small cloth arti- bad day, or one of the horses can is very much a community asset. ed out of the Ashburton Race- horseback, have all been de- cles and maths abilities are im- be a bit off, but then you have a Hooper said the Ashburton course, then moved to the Tin- signed with specific teaching ar- proved when they are required real breakthrough with a child branch of RDA was established wald Pony Club, and back to the eas in mind. to add up the numbers on the and that’s when I remember, we in 1974 by the late Ron Wakelin. racecourse. “Each referral child comes to knocked over wooden pegs. are doing great work here.” Since then an enthusiastic com- Hooper said the base jumping us with a therapist and I work Social skills, self-confidence mittee, many volunteers, and an stopped when land on the out- with them and other occupa- and speech levels often notice- extremely supportive communi- skirts of Hampstead was pur- tional therapists to set individu- ably increase because of the in- CONTINUED P3 ty, whose donations and fund- chased. al goals,” she said. teraction with others. Ph 03 307 7900 to subscribe! LOCALS SUPPORTING LOCAL. Choose the team who will stand by your side. Talk to us 03 308 0027 www.mcleodre.co.nz News 2 Ashburton Guardian Wednesday, June 17, 2020 www.guardianonline.co.nz The long journey to Mt Hutt opening BY SUSAN SANDYS [email protected] So near, but yet so far. That is how Mt Hutt seemed to me in lockdown. As I hid away from the world with family in Methven, I did not know if we would get up there skiing this year. Covid-19 was extending its deadly tendrils around the world, as New Zealand buckled down and hoped to avoid the worst of the global pandemic. As it turned out, Prime Minis- ter Jacinda Ardern’s “go hard, go early” strategy paid off, and life returned almost to normal just in time for the ski area’s opening weekend. Daughter Brooke and I could not quite believe it as we packed our skis, boots and poles into the family car to head up there on Friday. There was such a sense of an- ticipation – are we really doing this, has New Zealand really got to this stage? It had been a long journey to that point, Brooke having es- caped from New York, and all of us coming out of lockdown with changes of plans in store, among them a forced cancellation of a family trip to the Gold Coast in Right – Brooke and Susan Sandys made it for opening day at June. Mt Hutt. But who needs the seaside and theme parks when you have Mt Hutt? had arrived as early as the day temporary Summit Six break- Every year my family makes before to make sure they were at down. This made me feel all the pilgrimage to our local ski- the front of the Summit Six line. the more privileged for being in field, but had never been there We were at the back of a large New Zealand, where there are no on opening day before, so it was line for the lift by 9am, and glee- longer social distancing regula- fun to try and make it there for fully followed television crews’ tions, and it made me feel proud the celebratory 9am opening instructions for raising our arms as well. with cheers and drinks. in the air and cheering a couple Mt Hutt is no longer a far-away We got there about 8.30am and of times. promise beckoning in the dis- could not believe the crowds. It The snow conditions were fan- tance. seemed everyone in Canterbury tastic. It was cold and snowy, but Thanks to New Zealanders’ had the same idea – let’s make I like skiing in that type of weath- brilliant efforts to quash Cov- the most of what we have on our er, and we had a great day. id-19, it is an accessible local fa- doorstep. Skyline Café was absolutely cility that we can all get out and The group who got there first packed at lunchtime and for a enjoy. 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Flames on July 2 threatened to destroy it for the second time, but unlike the 1922 fire that asset razed the building to the ground, a quick ‘your pub is on fire’ phone call from the Methven i-SITE staff to owner David (Trev) den Baars From P1 saved the pub. Normally at this time of Debbie den Baars said they were later told year the arena would be full that had that phone call come about two min- of happy children laughing utes later, the whole building would have been and learning, but Covid-19 toast. has left the ring silent for “The Methven Fire Brigade guys were abso- now. lutely amazing. The first one turned up, in full Hooper said they plan to gear, within 90 seconds of the 111 call being open again in the third term made.” after the school holidays. She Flames extinguished and the last soggy piece said it wasn’t an easy deci- of furniture removed, the process of redeco- rating the damaged upstairs accommodation sion to make, but with many began. of their 30 or so volunteers As the 1920s building is of such historic value being over 70 and some of den Baars called in heritage building consult- the children having health is- ant Arlene Baird to help with colour choices sues, it was the sensible thing and décor tips. to do. Even though Baird was just about to board a Brown Pub owners Dave and Debbie den Baars enjoying the morning sun on the re- To make sure the volun- plane to Europe she was happy to help out. cently renovated balcony. PHOTO HEATHER MACKENZIE 160620-HM-0008 teers remained engaged over “We have lost so many of these buildings al- the break the national body ready. They need to be preserved as it’s really “I would follow it into the shop and if they “It’s like a palace. Oh my goodness it’s so beau- for RDA have been providing important to have them around.” didn’t know the price, I told them I could wait.” tiful here.” training videos online. Baird gave den Baars some different colour Her turning up on the off chance and trolling Those eyeing the Brown as potential accom- There is a positive to come combinations to choose from. They included a the internet philosophy worked well for den modation for a stag do or a rugby trip will be out of lockdown, when they darker shade, a lighter colour and a wallpaper Baars as she said she got some great bargains. smartly redirected to the Blue. The focus now reopen again there will be selection to add texture. “All the curtain rods for upstairs cost me $40 in will be on golfing weekends and the like. three new volunteers in the “The colour choices all have to work together total,” she said. “For those groups we would like to offer line-up. to accentuate the beautiful timbers and make The art deco-looking large red light shades golf, bed and dinner, Trev would crank up his “I think over lockdown the most of the features in the building, Baird in the hall came from the Ashburton MSA.