Silver linings from severe storm

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:

A storm has proved the catalyst for an extension of the Methven cemetery and an upgrade to the walkway.

It is just over a year since strong winds decimated the treeline at the cemetery and the area has been reestablished including the section of the town’s popular walkway.

Methven Lions spokesman Mac McElwain said they had just completed a reseal of the shingle walkway along the cemetery edge only for it to be “completely wrecked”.

“All the trees came down and the roots ripped up so what we had laid 10 days earlier just disappeared,” he said.

The council cleared away the debris and the roots, a repair job estimated to cost about $70,000, enabling it to extend the cemetery area, future-proofing the site.

The Lions had to reinstate a new walkway path along the eastern edge of the cemetery which forms part of a loop track around the town that the Lions spent the last year reshingling.

What remained of the tree line has been transformed into a bund and the Lions also chipped in with a council-run planting day at the end of October.

“The whole thing has been a collaborative venture between lions and the council,” McElwain said.

About 2500 native species were planted on the newly created bund made from the rubble of the damaged tree extraction, while several Sequoiadendron giganteum (Wellingtonia) have been planted alongside the walkway.

A strip of native planting is planned for the inside of the reinstated track to separate it from the cemetery.

McElwain said the council and Lions plan to install a new track linkage from the bridge to the domain, along the rodeo arena fence line, and plant a new coniferous hedge adjacent to it.

The Lions also launched a special clean-up project for the headstones in the cemetery last year

“Since that storm and the necessary thinning out of all the trees, it's allowed a lot more light and wind through the cemetery itself, and with a bit of spray from us the effect on the headstones has been extraordinary.”

A memorial seat that was recovered from under the fallen trees has been repositioned in a new location and further seating is planned to be added once more planting is completed next winter where the council hopes to work with local schools.