Community celebrates Glengarry history
An Invercargill community has banded together to celebrate its 50th birthday, but also to start something for future generations.
Thousands of people filled Glengarry on Saturday and yesterday to celebrate 50 years since the suburb was established.
From markets to tug-of-war, karaoke and bike rides, families enjoyed the sun and entertainment during the reunion.
Reunion committee member Rebecca Amundsen said lots of people talked about having elephant rides in the suburb.
‘‘In about 1971 or ’72, McCal- lums Drycleaning asked the circus, which was in town at the time, to bring an elephant to ride [to Glengarry].’’
Children got a chance to ride the elephant, and people remembered racing the elephant, with children running alongside it, Amundsen said. ‘‘People were also talking about a hot-air balloon that never got launched,’’ she said.
Many people had been fascinated by the pop-up museum, which showed original designs for the shopping centre, some of which never came to fruition.
‘‘The design of the centre was different to what was built,’’ Amundsen said. There had been plans for a theatre, a drive-through bank, and a rooftop cafe above the supermarket.
People also enjoyed seeing photos of the changes to the shopping centre from the 1970s through the the 1990s.
But the weekend’s celebrations weren’t just about looking back, it was also a chance for the community to start something new.
Trees and vegetables were planted on Sunday in an area near the play ground, Amundsen said.
Families from the area gathered to help out, with some staying a while, and some not, she said.
‘‘It’s been great to get people out and about in the community, as well as to get the garden established.’’