Being human

yet.’’

Ward farmer Kevin Loe said there had been some silver linings to come out of the earthquake, including looking at a new heritage centre to replace Flaxbourne Museum.

‘‘Some people still have issues within their own homes, they’re not sure how that’s going to pan out yet,’’ he said.

‘‘But the community certainly seems to be working together very well, and there are a lot of opportunities sitting out there.

‘‘The cycleway, we’re all pretty optimistic that’s going to happen and bring some real benefits – there’s almost unanimous enthusiasm for that.’’

Loe said the Burkharts and the employment opportunities created by their fishing business had been one of the things that had held the community together through previous tough times.

‘‘We are all rather hopeful that an appropriate solution can be found to keep [the factory] operational,’’ he said.

Quoting local Doug Avery, the motivational speaker behind the ‘Resilient Farmer’ website, Loe said the community was looking forward with optimism.

‘‘We step forward together,’’ he said. David James checks in with the New Zealand Dance Company’s artistic director Shona McCullagh ahead of their Blenheim performance of The Absurdity of Humanity.