Avondale rallies around Dale the spider
The Avondale community is in uproar at the suggestion their beloved spider’s days may be numbered.
People have taken to wearing ‘Save Dale’ badges and have created a Facebook page in a bid to keep the spider in the town centre.
Whau Local Board’s Catherine Farmer told the Western Leader the Huntsman spider was ‘‘stuck in the past’’ of a bygone era earlier this month. She suggested Dale could be replaced by something ‘‘more appealing’’ to Avondale’s multi-cultural society reflecting the Maori history of the Whau.
‘‘Dale has been great for the Avondale community over the years, but whether he is the right mascot for the job now is another question,’’ she said.
However, she says there are no plans to move Dale and the Western Leader story has highlighted residents’ wishes for quality development in Avondale including new community facilities and says they are the priorities for Avondale.
Dale’s self-proclaimed Dad, local board member Duncan Macdonald, says he is humbled by the response of the community towards the mascot.
‘‘You can tell the community has been revitalised. People have voiced their opinion. For the last couple of years I got the feeling the community spirit had gone, but this has proven to me it is still there,’’ he says.
‘‘The public got behind [Dale]
‘‘You can tell the community has been revitalised. People have voiced their opinion. ’’
Duncan Macdonald
and stood up to say we don’t want him taken down, leave him alone. After all, he’s just a bit of fun really.’’
A majority of voters (78 per cent) on a Western Leader neighbourly poll wanted Dale to stay in Avondale while 17.1 per cent thought his days were numbered.
Four per cent of voters didn’t know who Dale was.
Avondale resident Keith Coelho, who helped start the badge campaign, says people are wearing the badges throughout the Whau area.
‘‘Most people are upset about Dale the Spider and want to show their support for him,’’ Coelho says.
‘‘Avondale has been neglected for decades and there is so many more important issues to deal with. Money needs to be spent on the slippery bricks, the water is polluted in the Whau and getting a pool for our community.’’