Shirley celebrated in new ‘welcome’ sign

17 March 2004

A new sign welcoming visitors to the Shirley area will be officially unveiled this Sunday by one of the suburb’s oldest residents and community workers.

Nancy Meadowcroft QSM has lived in Shirley for more than 80 years and was the perfect person for the job, says Councillor Ingrid Stonhill, who initiated the idea for the sign.

“The sign is to welcome people here and celebrate Shirley – an area which Nancy has seen develop from its rural beginnings,” she said.

Funded by the Shirley/Papanui Community Board, the sign depicts various aspects of Shirley life from its sporting history to its farming background and was designed in consultation with the community.  Two concept designs produced by Christchurch City Council draughtsperson Mark Duggan were presented to the public and both were so well received that the final design is a combination of the two, Cr Stonhill said.

Shirley/Papanui Community Board chair, Yvonne Palmer said, “I thoroughly commend this project and its role in positively reinforcing the community and Shirley’s long history.”

The sign will be officially unveiled at 3pm on Sunday, mid-way along the route of a neighbourhood walkathon, organised by the McFarlane Park Neighbourhood Centre.
Anyone wanting to take part in the walkathon is asked to be at McFarlane Park, Acheson Ave at 2.30pm.

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