Members Story

Saving the local Kiwi

The kiwi statue that had been on the roof of Kiwi Trophies overlooking Newlands road for many years was in danger as the buildings were getting demolished.

 

Vince Stephens approached Dave Edgecombe, the owner of Kiwi and Kiwi Trophies,  at the Johnsonville club one night asking if he had any plans for the Kiwi: Dave was happy to donate it to Vince if repaired the bird and put it on display within Newlands. Vince went to work to source a hi-ab to lift the Kiwi off the building. Luckily TK from Websters Drilling was at the Johnsonville club and offered to organise the tuck and hi-ab for the project.  The lift was completed a couple of days later. with the assistance of TK and the Websters truck and other members of the Johnsonville club - Strech and Mo. Vince was able to get the Kiwi moved. 

 

Unfortunately on inspection they saw that the Kiwi was in bad shape, the concrete casing was breaking away all over the body but the worst damage was on the rear were some kids had managed to gain access to the roof and hard tried kicking the Kiwi off the roof only resulting in caving in the rear.

 

Due to the damage, the rebuild took three months. Vince says thank you to Strech for donating all the concrete type products needed for fully recovering the body plus paint and wood, and also Johnsonville Club member Grant (Carter), who has now moved to Nelson, for colour matching the top coat of paint to the original colour.

 

This week Kiwi was completed and with the assistance of Conrad and other Websters employees, with the use of the Websters Drilling hi-ab, lifted fully refurbished Kiwi onto the newly built base.   

 

The final result, with the help of Johnsonville Club members Strech, Richard and Clarkie. Vince advises that "The Kiwi is now overlooking Fitzpatrick Street Newlands, and has many thanks to all those that helped him with saving the Newlands Kiwi.