Historic Small Projects The Club has been involved in numerous small projects over the years. This page summarises those local projects where more than a cash donation is involved, and members gave their time and labour to the cause.
1962 Osier Rd Park 1967 VSA Concert 1969 Taradale Club 1971 Taradale ParkWaterwheel	1966-92 Community Seats 1978 Cripple Children Home Driveway 1982 Mobility Bed	1986 Centennial Podium 1998. BBQ for Atawhai 1991 Denise Gordon Telephone Appeal 1999 Time Capsule	1999 Plunket fence 2002 Town clock 2005 Reader Assistant Programme
1962-64. Osier Road Park Purpose:   This was probably the Club's first major "hands on" construction project. It was decided in 1962 to develop a children's' park on the corner of Osier Rd, opposite St Joseph's Maori Girls College, and alongside the kindergarten. Initially there was talk of calling the park, Rotary Park. Eventually this was idea was dropped. Means:      Club members offered their services, to construct a playing area for children. Outcome: The Park was completed in 1964 and handed to the Taradale Borough Council. After the hand over, in Eric Mason's year as President, the Club approved money of £11 to erect two seats in the Park. These were completed in 1966. Since then Napier City Council has assumed responsibility, and the playing area has undergone redevelopment. In 2004 only one seat exists. The seat in the park has a Rotary emblem, but otherwise there is no sign that this was a Club project carried out over 40 years ago. Click thumbnail picture to see photo of  the park and seat ~
1965-67 VSA Concert Purpose:   Napier West Club approached other service clubs to support fund raising to send a VSA (Volunteer Service Abroad) team overseas. Harold Howard raised the subject with the Club in June 1965. Directors gave approval for the project in August.  In September 1966, the Bulletin reports that Bill Beaton reported from a meeting of the International Committee, that funds to support VSA would be raised by staging a concert. Means:       In early 1967 it was announced the concert would be held in April at the Municipal Theatre, that it would be "super", and everyone was expected to attend. Prior to that, all members were  required to sell tickets. Past President Eric Mason visited many service clubs in the District to encourage their members to attend. Norm Compton is credited with organising the concert and booked a popular Maori Concert party which had recently returned from a tour of North America. Two months later Norm resigned from the Club because of business commitments. Outcome: The concert was a great success and congratulations were received from Mayor Mr Arthur Miller and Mrs Miller. President Wyn Geenty thanked all Club members for their involvement and in particular Norm Compton, whose idea it was in the first place, and who put so much of his own time in getting it organised. At a combined meeting with Napier West in May, 1967, President Wyn Geenty presented VSA with a cheque for £337.0.0. This was accepted by the local representative, Bill Hyde, because weather had closed the Wellington airport and the President of VSA (NZ), Mr Mitchell, was unable to attend. ~
1969. The Taradale Club Purpose:   While not a Club project in the sense the Club assumed management, this major community development was the brain child of Past-President, Dave Nichol. He acknowledges the concept was too big for one community organisation, but he started with the Taradale Rotary Club, whose members gave the idea their support and many signed up as foundation members and helped Dave in any way they could. Many Club members paid $10 to take up initial membership. Means:       A quote from "Taradale: The Story of a Village 1844-2000" describes how the project got started and the initial building completed. "A packet of cigarettes was the inspiration for the beginning of the Taradale Club. David Nichol, the club's foundation president, tells the story: 'I went to the pub with a few blokes after work one Friday night. One of my mates had difficulty getting cigarettes out of a machine and it took the bar staff an hour to get it sorted out. We walked out of there thinking it's time we built our own club.' "And build it they did. After canvassing various men's groups in the district David was convinced there was enough support for the project. The first general meeting. which was held in the Taradale Town Hall on 13 October 1969, attracted 300 prospective members who elected a steering committee." "Negotiations went ahead to purchase 2.32 hectares of land in Wharerangi Road from market gardener Jackie Yee On for $ 15.000. By December membership had grown to 400 with 100 on the waiting list and the following year the club was granted a charter. Durney Construction began building the $73,000 premises in March 1971 and the club was officially opened on 19 July." Outcome: The Taradale Club has grown over the last 30 years to become a very popular venue offering a wide range of activities and excellent dining. ~
1971. Water Wheel Purpose:   To restore an old water wheel and erect it in the Taradale Centennial Park for the beautification of the area and preserve a sense of history. It was the original idea of Jim Montgomery who pursued the project for more than a year before it was concluded in early 1971.
Means:      The 3 metre wheel was built 50 years earlier by Mr Ernest Clifford, who used it to generate electricity in his Moeller St home before the reticulation of electricity to Taradale. The project was first raised in 1964 as Past President Michael Davies recalled. In 1966 Ted Morris recalled the Waterwheel was moved to Jim Montgomery's house for repair. However it was not until late 1969 that a number of members assisted Jim with the restoration including Peter Sugden (Community Director) and Ian Kepka. $100 in funding was made available by the Club.			Left to right: Ian Kepka, Jim Montgomery, Harold Howard. Others not yet identified
Outcome: The Wheel was commissioned in a handing over ceremony to the Mayor, Mr Peter Tait, in April 1971. In 1973 the Club enhanced the Wheel by adding lights. It has for many years been a centrepiece of the gardens in Taradale Park, attracting people to it, and preserving a little of Taradale's history.
~
1968-92 Community Seats Purpose:   Over the period of its history, Club has funded and organised the erection of four seats for the benefit of the community.
The first seat (left)  was part of the Osier Road Park project. The Club approved money of £11 to erect two seats. Minutes record that these were completed in 1966, but only one is currently in existence. The second seat (second left) was erect in Gloucester Street in memory of Mac MacCalmont. Mac was the club's first Sergeant at Arms and was a very popular member of the club for twenty five years. In Mac's year as Director of Community Service, (1967- 68), many of the projects he arranged were working bees to help people in need. These projects helped to develop the fellowship in the club. On his death, in the 1982-83 year, the club honoured him by building a memorial seat in Gloucester Street, near the Atawhai Centre. This is the only memorial erected to a member by the club.
A third seat (third left) exists on the corner of Puketapu Road and Devonshire Place, erected as a place for residents from the Masonic Resthome to rest on their walks to and from town. The seat was funded by the residual assets from the winding up of the Widows' Cruise Club. Amazingly this seat was stolen in 1999 and then returned, but required some repair. A fourth  seat (right) was erected outside the main entrance of the Taradale Library as part of the Club's assistance to the new facility.
~
1978. Concreting the drive at the Cripple Childrens' Home Purpose:   In 1978 Kel Tremain informed the Club that the Crippled Children's Home in Anderson Road needed their large drive concreted. They could afford the cost of materials. Means:      Kel organised members to assist with the laying. Dave Rench supervised to ensure a professional job was done. The Club granted $1500 to the project. Outcome:  A professional job done, and a driveway the CC Home were delighted with.
Dave lays the final touch. Kel looks pleased with the efforts of the team	Kel and Pam		Dave casts a professional eye over the finished product
~
1981. Mobility Bed for Multiple Sclerosis Sufferers Purpose:   In 1981 the Club's Community Service committee led by Ken Carson sort funds from the Club to build a special bed to ease the mobility of multiple sclerosis sufferers. Means:      The club made a grant of $1000 to assist with the development the bed. A prototype model was built by Hastings Engineer, Mr Phillip Sowerby.  Outcome: The bed was completed and handed to the Multiple Sclerosis Association for use by one of its members. Click the icon for full view ~
1986 Centennial Podium Purpose:   To provide a podium in Gloucester Street as the Club's contribution to the 1986 celebrations of Taradale's Centenary Celebrations Means:      Two members of the Club, Bill Beaton on behalf of McDonald's Supermarket, and Derek Ricketts of Scott & Ricketts, contributed $2000 each to the project. The Club matched this with a contribution of $4000.
Outcome: For over 20 years now, the podium has been a favourite resting place for shoppers, a centre for speakers, particularly local politicians during elections. Recently Chris Tremain, son of the late Kel Tremain (TRC member) used it on his way to successfully winning the Napier seat in the 2005 elections.
~
1988. BBQ for Atawhai Residential Home Purpose:   To provide a barbeque for the use of residents in the Atawhai residential home Means:      The club made a grant of 500 to assist with the development of BBQ which was constructed with the assistance of the Polytech Outcome: The BBQ was completed and presented to the matron of Atawhai on behalf of the residents. Click the icon for full view. L to R. Bruce McLeod, Pres. Brian Neilson, Matron, Unknown, Bill Love. ~
1991 Denise Gordon Telephone Appeal Purpose:   In 1991 Denise Gordon, daughter of late club member Jim Gordon and wife Noelene, fell ill with a liver disorder and needed a liver transplant which could only be obtained in Brisbane. Means:      The Rotary Clubs of Napier combined in a fund-raising appeal. Taradale Club members ran a telephone appeal. Members manned the phones for 11 nights with 6 people required to man the phones for 2 hour spells. Outcome: The appeal raised $30,000 and Denise had a successful operation in Brisbane. Sadly it was reported in the Bulletin that Denise has died from cancer in 2002. However, as a result of the appeal, Denise enjoyed another eleven years of life she may not have had. Click photo for picture of Denise leaving the hospital.
~
1999. Taradale High School Time Capsule Purpose:   In 1999 Taradale High School established a Foundation with the purpose of establishing a trust fund to assist  the school meet its long term goals of providing its students excellent educational opportunities. Past-President Graham Duncan was chairman of the Foundation and raised the prospect of the Club helping in the promotion of the concept. Means:      The Club's Youth committee accepted the concept as a project and the Club promoted sale of capsules at their Charity Auction and to its own members, families and friends.  as well as organising  many members to assist with the manual work of burying the capsule. Outcome: 5000 mini-capsules were sold to the public at $40 each. There was a discount for multiple purchases, so the project raised nearly $20,000 to help start the Foundation's trust fund.
	High School seals in the past
	Taradale High School Foundation Chairman, Graham Duncan, and Taradale Rotarian David Drake guide the time capsule to its final resting place.
On Dec. 18th 1999, HB Today reported After months of planning Taradale High School buried its millennium time capsule today. The fibreglass capsule was filled with 5000 plastic boxes which clubs, businesses and individuals had filled with mementos including photographs, wine, stamp albums, letters and school reports. The capsule will be unearthed from the school grounds in 2050, and the chairman of the school's foundation trust, Graham Duncan, expected it to deliver a few surprises. "Our whole communication system will be different by then," he said. "We may have had a significant environment change and politics and education could all be new," Mr Duncan had filled his own capsule with family mementos for his children and a video of the landscape and buildings in the area. "Who knows, we could have another earthquake and this is one way of recording the history of our area for posterity." Oxygen was sucked out of the capsule and replaced by nitrogen to preserve its contents before it was set on a concrete base and surrounded in gravel inside the school gates. A list of the capsule's beneficiaries would be kept at the school and owners would be issued certificates for safekeeping. ~
1999. Taradale Plunket Purpose:   In 1999, at the initiation of Mark Read, a large group of members gave up their mornings to assist with the erection of a secure fence around the Taradale Plunket Room grounds.  Of interest is the fact that the buildings were built in 1952 by Arthur Stafford. Means:      Members turning up with spades, forks, hammers, trailers, concrete mixers, and other tools required to build a fence, PLUS, the willing labour of over 30 members during 3 weekends and evenings. The Club donated $2500 from the 1998 Auction to pay for materials. Outcome: A child-proof fence which was greatly appreciated by the Plunket Committee ~
2002. Taradale War Memorial Clock Tower Purpose:   To assist with the installation of floodlights to highlight the town clock. Means:      In 2002 the Club donated $1000 to the project  in which it combined its efforts the Taradale RSA. The City Council provided drains etc for cables and lights and members turned out for working bees to pour concrete surrounds and upgrade the surrounds.  Members were invited to the brief lighting up on Wed, 9th October. The project was lead enthusiastically by Past-President Bob Twaddle ably assisted by Club member Robbie Symons. Indispensible help was given by past Rotarian David Prebensen, who solved all the technical problems relating to the lighting. Outcome: The revitalised clock tower is now a beacon at the entrance to Taradale and something the community is very proud of.
~
2005. Reader Assistants   Purpose:   To assist young primary school students with learning to read thus freeing teachers to work with other students. Means:      In 2005, Mary Wise, a local reading specialist in the Hawkes Bay region, approached the Club to build up her team of adult reading assistants. Mary has been running a programme of using volunteer adults to help students with reading difficulties and work with class room teachers on a reading recovery program for them. Half a dozen members of the Club responded to the call, such as Frank Crotty (seen on right with young students), Selwyn Dyet, Bob Knappstein and Brian Neilson. These people give an hour a week of assistance.
Outcome: Club members involvement in the programme has lasted for more than a year, and a number of young Napier students have benefited from the help these adults are able to give them with their reading.
~

Last updated on Friday, 30 July 2010