New fun activity at Hanmer Springs
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Hanmer Springs has a new fun, family activity - and it’s free.
A nine-hole disc golf course opened at Brooke Dawson Reserve last month and it has already caught the attention of visitors and enthusiasts for the game.
‘‘It has only been open for a couple of weeks, but there is a lot of people going through and the word is getting out,’’ local resident Graham Frith said.
‘‘I’ve had people from Christchurch, Nelson and the West Coast ringing to find out when we will have this course and now I can tell them to come.
‘‘My vision was to have it so everyone staying in the village could do it for free and eventually if we have some guns come here, even better.’’
Frith came up with the idea for a disc golf course while serving on the Hanmer Springs Community Board.
It came at a cost of $7500 to buy the baskets, which were used instead of tees and were installed by volunteers.
Disc golf is like ordinary golf, except you throw a frisbee or disc and aimed to get into the baskets in as few throws as possible.
All you need is a frisbee and some mates, or your family, Frith said.
‘‘The other day three of us went down there with one frisbee. We just took turns throwing it and walked around and had a great chat.’’
Frith has been behind several initiatives in recent years, including the Hanmer Springs food forest and Music and Arts Hanmer Springs.
He was also working on developing mountain bike trails around Mt Isobel.
‘‘I just like to stir things up. If you are not going forward you fall off your bike.’’
Frith says the ideas tend to flow when he is out on his bike.
With a five month cycling tour in Central America planned from next month, more ideas were sure to follow.
‘‘We are travelling through Mexico and I will no doubt see something and think ‘that will work in Hanmer Springs’.’’
The Brooke Dawson Reserve, in Bath Street, Hanmer Springs, has a toilet block and picnic area, making it the ideal spot for families.
There was the option of extending it to an 18-hole course if it proved to be popular.
A map of the course is available on the Hanmer Springs app and on Facebook.
*Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
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Hero
“I was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldn’t be myself there. Even though my family didn’t like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. It’s better when it’s shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.”
- Hero
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
www.humansofchch.org......
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