Te Awamutu’s welcome sign needs updating.
A brick welcome sign on Ōhaupō Road in Te Awamutu, stating “Welcome to Te Awamutu, the Rose Town”, has had a much needed “zhuzh up”.
The welcome sign on the Ōhaupō side of Te Awamutu. Photo: Jesse Wood
The sign, designed by Gilman Partners, was presented by the Waikato Dairy Co-Operative to the borough of Te Awamutu in about 1984 to celebrate 100 years of local government.
The Te Awamutu Community Board investigated options for more than a year before deciding something needed to happen to bring life back to the structure. In September, the board allocated $1725 for a spruce up.
The four Te Awamutu service club badges were updated – Altrusa, Kiwanis, Lions and Rotary – and a colourful rose themed painting added.
The faded badge from the now defunct Te Awamutu Women’s Institute was removed.
Board member Jill Taylor said other service group badges can be added, but that quartet are the only current ones known to the board.
“When I approached Rosebank Art Centre, I said we’ve got to remember Te Awamutu is still the rose town of New Zealand, so Maryanne Wolter-Pryke did some beautiful artwork.”
Te Pahū-based Wolter-Pryke teaches decorative art at the centre and attends classes weekly.
The Te Awamutu Menz Shed got their tools out to make a frame for the art and Viking Glass donated unbreakable glass to finish it off. Mitre 10 Mega Te Awamutu donated the ground camellias to put alongside the roses in the brick garden box below.
The community buy-in has seen a “zhuzh up” of several signs at Te Awamutu entry points.
“Our first focus was the brick sign, because it’s probably the biggest one,” Taylor said.
“We did that, but then there were the town entrance signs on Cambridge Road and Kihikihi Road that needed to be updated too. They now have new signs where needed and have been water blasted. They look great.”
