BBQ opening marks completion of STAR Centre courtyard make-over

28/06/2010 | STAR Centre courtyard

What do an around Lake Taupo cycle relay, a store’s centenary, and a service club’s hard work have in common? The answer is a beautifully refurbished courtyard garden area at Palmerston North Hospital’s rehabilitation centre.

Yesterday, the end of National Volunteers’ Week, was a fitting time for the bbq lunch opening of the new courtyard and gardens between the Services for the Treatment Assessment and Rehabilitation centre STAR 1 and 2 psychogeratric and geriatric wards at the hospital.

The $20,000 plus, year-long project has been spearheaded by Takaro Rotary Club, and in particular club ‘project manager’ Lynne Phillips, under the outgoing club president George Beaton’s leadership.

However, the project began in November 2008 when one of the club’s four teams won $1000 in the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge, and the club looked to the STAR centre for how it could spend the winnings. Takaro Rotary Club, which previously had bought a fish tank in the centre, and provided a ceiling television set for long-term recovery patients in another ward, saw the neglected STAR courtyard and agreed to beautify it.

About the same time Palmerston North Farmers’ store approached the club looking for a community scheme to support in celebration of its centenary, as a ‘thank you’ for their 100 years of successful business. Farmers’ Manager Kevin Crawford agreed on the project, and as they say the rest is history. The company pledged to match customers’ donations dollar for dollar. Farmers’ staff organised sausage sizzles, cake and sweet stalls, garage sales, auctions of Santa bears, got shoppers to donate $1 with their purchases, and fashion shows.

Altogether $9900 was raised locally, and coupled with the company’s contribution, the total was doubled to $19,800.

The extra money meant the project had to be planned. A check was made to see what was needed to make the area more attractive, and user-friendly for patients, families and visitors and staff.

Over many weekends, Takaro Rotary members spent time at the centre voluntarily taking part in working bees. In what some described as emulating television’s Mucking In programme the gardens were cleared of all but four trees, convolvulus, soil, concrete and bark, and backfilled with truckloads of soil, manure and bark, all wheelbarrowed in and out. Aesthetically-pleasing garden designs resulted in more than 260 plants being planted, giving colour, smell and texture. Also provided are a bird bath, water feature, and garden statue adding beauty and grace; and three wine barrels of strawberry plants adding more colour and interest in season.

Existing comfortable outdoor furniture has been added to, umbrellas provided, and a large shade sail erected over the furniture to provide shelter from the weather. Four deep holes had to be dug through existing brick and concrete rubble so large poles capable of holding the shade sail could be erected.

Re-painting of the main garden wall, rebricking garden edges, and water blasting of existing tarseal paths has totally rejuvenated the area. To finish off the project a large bbq has been bought so the area can be better used by everyone staying, visiting or working at the centre.
The project was so well organised with budgets, pricing and servicing, getting “deals” for products, and with the free “blood sweat and tears” labour from the Rotary members, that almost $5000 was saved and remains to be spent, with STAR centre staff being asked to consider further ideas.

Yesterday was a time to say thank you to everyone involved – from Takaro Rotary Club members thanking their helpers and Farmers; to Farmers’ thanking their staff and Rotary members; and to MidCentral Health Hospital Services operations director Lyn Horgan thanking everyone for a fantastic community project that will benefit lots of people into the future.  A bbq lunch with helpers, staff and patients, using the new cooking facility was an ideal way to relaunch the courtyard.

Celebrating the completion of a great community project, are from left: Palmerston North Farmers’ Manager Kevin Crawford; Takaro Rotary project manager Lynne Phillips; outgoing Takaro Rotary president George Beaton; MidCentral Health Hospital Services’ operations director Lyn Horgan; Takaro Rotary member Lyal Brenton; and Hospital Services’ business manager Maggie Oulaghan.

Contact: Communications Unit (06) 350-8945