The Manawatū River Leaders’ Forum chair Richard Thompson said the festival was a celebration of the actions collectively taken to improve the river. The forum was started in 2010 and the accord was signed the same year, with the vision “if the water is healthy, the land and the people are nourished”. “The rejuvenated Foxton River Loop Reserve is a perfect example of one such project,” he said. “In all, there are 104 tasks identified by the accord to help improve the mauri (essence) of the Manawatū River Catchment. “The Accord was originally signed August 2010 in Foxton, so it’s fitting we host the festival here, sharing a day of community celebration.”
Monday, 1 February 2021, 2:59 pm
The Manawatū River Leaders’ Forum has announced that
for the first time Te Oranga o te Awa – the Manawatū
River Improvement Festival, will be held in Foxton to
celebrate the reopening of the Foxton River Loop
Reserve.
The celebration will be held at the reserve
on Saturday 27 February from 10am-3pm. It will provide an
opportunity for the community to come together and mark the
rejuvenation of a key part of the River Loop, which silted
up after the upstream entrance of the Loop was accidentally
cut off from the Manawatū River about 80 years
ago.
Forum Chair Richard Thompson said the festival is
Nicky Ryan, owner of Fox Den – Merchantry and Gifts, saw an advertising opportunity amid the sensory assault. One business saw an opportunity amid the stench. Fox Den – Merchantry and Gifts on Main St had a sign outside proclaiming: “Smells great, come in.” Shelter from the stink was immediately obvious inside the shop, as the aroma of scented candles gave relief to assaulted nostrils. “It’s a real shame about the smell. It’s wonderful what they are doing [at the loop],” said shop owner Nicky Ryan. She had noticed people gagging as they hopped out of their cars. She also cleaned the ATM outside her business which, earlier this week, was caked in dust, possibly from the offending soil as it was trucked in.