Stream of memories trace water flow

Man has obviously done much to control the water flow through the town and one effort which can be observed today is “King's Canal” .

In any location there are things that come and go. In Foxton, the Manawatu¯ River is still hanging on, but what about the Awahou Stream?

The only indication it exists is the sign on the riverbank behind Te Awahou Nieuw Stroom. Where is the stream? The explanation I give here may not be 100 per cent correct as it is based on my memories rather than research. These memories date back 70 years when as a child I could observe much what went on around the stream.

There were several water courses that drained the land to the east of Foxton into the Manawatu¯ River, and the biggest of these was the Awahou Stream. Its source was somewhere to the northeast of Foxton — perhaps from along Cummerfield Rd.

From there it ran down to Spring St and along to Avenue Rd.

It then turned west and collected water from low-lying areas such as Huntly St. The first piping of it was under the Avenue Rd-Main Highway and then it continued along the western side of Johnston St. I can remember this as I had to cross it at the Whyte St corner when I went to school.

At times of heavy rain it was quite a torrent. The “drain” was joined by another at Coley St and then near Cook St did a turn to flow alongside Easton Park and the Baths to Main St.

This of course was a problem when people wanted to travel south from the shops, so at first a bridge was built.

Eventually this was replaced by a pipeline.

Once across the road the course to the river continued west. Yes, it runs under what is now the Te Awahou Cultural Park.

Its course is to the south of De Molen and on the northern side of the Flax Stripper Museum and then out to the river. Its exit is best seen after rain showers when the flow is able to overcome the tide.

The Foxton area had several other drainage systems some of which I do remember.

One of these was piped under SH1 by the golf course and ran to the south of the links out to the area containing the coastal lakes and then on out to sea. The area containing Mark Perreau Place was very wet, so was drained by a system that runs along Park St, down Ladys Mile, and then out to the Loop.

Man has obviously done much to control the water flow through the town and one effort which can be observed today is “King's Canal” (named after the Mayor George King). This runs south from Avenue Rad, behind Coley Street School, and across to Purcell St. There it turns to the west and empties into the Loop near the transfer station.

Not all problems have been solved and no doubt efforts to do so will continue.