Havelock memorials get some TLC

Two memorials by Havelock Town Hall have undergone repair work to preserve them into the future.

The Ronga Memorial recognises Captain Ned Peterson and crew of the schooner Ronga, which sank during her a voyage from Lyttleton to Marlborough in 1906. Over the years, water has made its way into cracks and crevasses in the structure.

Parks and Open Spaces Officer Grahame Smail said it is hoped the repair work will eliminate long term deterioration of the memorial and give it another 50 to 100 years of life.

“Similar work is to be undertaken on the mortar of the Havelock War Memorial, which sits behind the Ronga memorial,” he said.

A third memorial honours world famous New Zealand scientists, Ernest Rutherford and William Hayward Pickering, who both went to Havelock School. Interpretive sign panel story boards on this memorial provide information about their lives.

“Originally the panels had an audio track, which provided commentary about the scientist on the relevant panel, but this has not been working for some time,” Grahame said. “In the short to medium term, Council, in consultation with the community, is looking to revamp this memorial and options for its repair will be looked at.”

Funding for the memorial upgrade is one of the projects that will soon be out for public consultation in the Council’s 2024-34 Long-Term Plan budgets.