Gateways welcome visitors
New gateways are being created at the four villages that sit at Palmerston North’s boundaries.
The welcome panels have been created from large steel beams clad with weathered timbers to remind people of the city’s forestry and railway heritage.
Three of the welcome panels, designed by artist Jamesmolnar, are the same for Ashhurst, Bunnythorpe, Linton and Longburn, but the fourth is unique to each village, capturing values the communities identified as important to them.
Council chief infrastructure officer Tom Williams said the gateways would be special for the communities and for people travelling into the city.
The city’s 20-year-old gateways were installed at the approaches to the main urban area, whereas the new ones recognised the villages on the boundary.
‘‘Thousands of people travel through these villages every day to get into Palmerston North, without them realising they’re already in our city boundaries,’’ Williams said.
‘‘These villages are vital parts of our city, and now visitors will know that too.’’
The latest round of work on the gateways is the planting, with native plants endemic to the region.
There will also be phormium (flax) and astroderia (toetoe), reminiscent of the early wetlands and history of flax gathering and milling in the region.
Communities are getting involved in planting the gardens, starting on Friday in Bunnythorpe where local school children led the efforts.
Planting days will follow on the next three Fridays at 9am at Linton on November 15, Longburn on November 22, and Ashhurst on November 29.
The final flourish will be signs in Te Reo and English explaining the meaning behind each village’s panel.
The wording and translations are still in development.