Rakaia's colossal salmon statue is set for a dramatic transformation, and experts have devised a plan to move it for a $300,000 refurbishment. But when will this colossal fish be relocated? The exact date remains a mystery, as the Ashburton District Council's community and open spaces manager, Toni Durham, reveals the intricate logistics still need to be ironed out.
The statue, weighing 1.6 tonnes and standing 12 meters tall, will be carefully lifted using a hook and crane, then transported to a truck. This meticulous process is necessary to ensure the statue's safe journey to its new location. The council's community and open spaces manager, Toni Durham, explains that the statue will be removed before Christmas for a major renovation, but the precise timing is still under discussion.
The sculptor, Phil Price, who created the original statue, was on-site last week to inspect the salmon and confirm its readiness for removal. Price's attention to detail is remarkable; he constructed the salmon with an internal fitting, allowing it to be lifted with a hook. Last Thursday, he verified that the fitting was operational.
Once the statue is secured by the crane, it will be detached from its steel support and gently lowered onto a truck. From there, it will make a brief stop in Hornby for sandblasting before Price and his team commence the refurbishment at his studio in Christchurch. The statue's size poses a challenge, and Price will need to build a special cradle to support the fish during repairs, enabling it to rotate during the work.
The Ashburton Crane will assist in lifting the statue, and Tarbotton Land & Civil has offered to transport it at no cost. Additionally, EA Networks provided a cherrypicker at a reduced rate for Price's inspections. The council's commitment to this project is evident, as they allocated up to $297,000 from the Reserves Contribution Reserve for the refurbishment during the final meeting of the last term on October 1. The vote was a 6-3 split, with former mayor Neil Brown's support for the project not included in the tally.
Price's tender of $215,000 was based on completing the refurbishment on-site, but he expressed concerns about the quality of work in such an environment compared to his studio. The statue will undergo repairs to its interior wooden skeleton and fibreglass exterior at his workshop. It will then be meticulously painted, scale by scale, over six weeks, and finally sealed with a clear UV protectant to withstand the elements.
This ambitious project, supported by RNZ and NZ On Air, promises to bring a new life to Rakaia's iconic salmon statue, captivating the community and visitors alike.
