Legend added to walk of Georges
Palmerston North athletics legend George Mcconachy’s face is now on George St, as he joins the George-themed walk of fame.
Thirty-five portraits of people named George line the street, including such names as All Black George Nepia, George of the Jungle and United States President George Washington.
Mcconachy’s portrait was unveiled yesterday.
He is the only local face and was the winner of a Breeze radio station competition to find Manawatu¯’smost notable George.
Mcconachy’s legacy lies in athletics, where he’s coached dozens of Manawatu¯ athletes to national titles. Before that he was an athlete himself.
He said it was all a bit strange, but a hoot nonetheless. ‘‘I didn’t believe it at first.’’
He grinned down at his face on the road and said his family and friends thought it was important his legacy lived on, so he was warming to the idea.
People phoned The Breeze to nominate local Georges of prominence and Mcconachy was told he received more than half the votes.
‘‘I suppose it’s because I have connections in lots of areas.’’
He has been coaching for more than 40 years and won a Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Award in 2015 for work in the community, a services to sport award from Sport Manawatu¯ and an Athletics NZ merit award.
Mcconachy said it was was appropriate his face was painted on the road where motorcycles parked, because he once rode a motorbike. He laughs off his asphalt likeness, saying ‘‘you can’t make coleslaw out of a bad cabbage’’.
Mcconachy’s face is next to George of the Jungle, outside the Youth Space building on the corner of George St and Coleman
Mall. Shopowners picked their favourite George to go in the parking spot directly outside their business and have biographies of each George and their achievements in the window or instore.
Artist Colin Hoare began work on the portraits in January.