Park revamp adds a taste of France
Berets and jandals were the order of the day at a Frenchthemed picnic to celebrate Plimmerton’s new petanque court in Karehana Park.
Three-hundred people attended the family day on January 27, many having a go at petanque and everybody enjoying the scorching weather.
‘‘We ordered that weather, of course,’’ said Karehana Park Project Group member Roger Johnston. ‘‘It was a fantastic day.’’
The court was well-received by the community, although few knew the rules, Mr Johnston said. ‘‘Each game was made up as it went.’’
A sign explaining the rules will be installed soon, he said.
Another success of the French day was the sale of 17 more personalised paving stones for $150 each, which will help fund the second half of a new path running through the park.
The Karehana Park group hopes the path will be finished before winter and is also planning another stage of the park’s revamp, an overhaul of the stream banks.
The steep bank will be levelled into a gentle slope with native planting.
Karehana Park’s new look gives the Plimmerton com- munity a feeling of ownership and respect for the park, he says. Mr Johnston hopes less graffiti will result.
‘‘That to me is quite important and I think people appreciate and look after it better.’’