Family fun is on the cards as people are invited to an open day at the bronze Hairy Maclary statues on The Strand.
From 10am, people can enjoy a free family event where there will be storytelling, face painting, roving performers and the SPCA will be there with puppies.
Aedan Smart, 3, on Muffin McClay. Photos: Tracy Hardy.
Asher, 4, and Jude, 5, Putty with Hairy Maclary.
Ziwipeak will be handing out doggie goodie bags and giving you the chance to have your photo taken with your favourite statue, and Tauranga Vets are supplying a dog rest area. Come down and see the Dogmatic Team with their pack of trick dogs. The event will go from 10am to 2pm. Dogs are welcome.
The open day comes hours after someone decided to take a can of black spray paint to the grass area around the statues.
Less than two days of the unveiling of the bronze Hairy Maclary statues on the waterfront, someone has gone along and vandalised the grass write the words 'Feed the kids. Eat the rich”.
Contractors have cleaned up the graffiti before today family event.
Liz Grant with her dog Monty meeting Cleo Putty, 8, and Ella McIvor, 8.
10 comments
Hairy dog area
Posted on 01-08-2015 10:40 | By tia
What a pack of low-life's. A great display on the strand and it didn't take long, did it? Get a life and let the majority of residents enjoy this Council initiative. Time to get the CCTV camera set up to catch these sods.
Low-lifes?
Posted on 01-08-2015 11:47 | By Murray.Guy
Tia, it could be that the $3/4 million price tag, to some, is a bitter pill, doesn't agree that the cost matches the benefit (bit the flag debate) given their personal consciousness and or life experiences. A 'low-life and sod' would have chosen to vandalise the Hairy McClary statues or surrounding cobbles. This was black paint on grass. PS: This was a Creative Tauranga initiative that was promised to involve the Council and ratepayers ONLY to the extent of the provision of public space! That promise 'went to the dogs' very fast!
Good
Posted on 01-08-2015 12:59 | By dookie
Good to see people out enjoying the stand and the new display. I walk past most days to work and it looks great.
Just a reminder to Murray Guy
Posted on 01-08-2015 13:30 | By Councillorwatch
Murray Guy's comments about the $3/4 million price tag need to be kept in perspective against some expenditure when he was on Council. The purchase of a Speedway business at a secret amount of $ comes to mind along with a $5 million cash injection to Baypark. Does Murray's personal consciousness or life experience think that the cost matches the benefit of that huge expense? It kind of dwarfs the amount spent by ratepayers on Hairy doesn't it?
Dogs galore......
Posted on 01-08-2015 14:57 | By Jimmy Ehu
and I even saw Tracey!, along with other notables, good to see many out in the sun, but with all the "pats on the back" many are giving themselves here, you have to be kidding me if they think what has been created will increase revenue in the CBD, families having fun on the Strand is very " feeling the love" for the creators and Council, but will there will be any economic benefit?, and the poor dogs being worried about a little paint on the grass, just wait to the students that are coming too town get loose on a "1/2 price Wednesday", for mine I would have rather the money had been spent on a decent stormwater system in the CBD, and suburbs, but guess that's not "cool" enough.
Shameful
Posted on 01-08-2015 15:51 | By The author of this comment has been removed.
TCC is woefully in debt and is spending over $600,000 on these dogs. I have to wonder where their priorities are!
Donaldson's Dairy
Posted on 01-08-2015 19:07 | By carpedeum
Hey- where is Donaldsons Dairy ?? cause Hairy McLary IS FROM Donaldsons Dairy !!!!!! Would have loved a gazebo- a caravan- or anything with the sign DONALDSONS DAIRY for the kids ??? Missed opportunity there.
Councillorwatch
Posted on 02-08-2015 17:55 | By The Master
You are being very unfair to Murray, The mess at Baypark started in 2006-2007, TCC purchased it for $12m, since throwing in $5m,then $30m and another $38m recently, then there is the ASB Arena at some $45m according to Audit NZ. We have yet to know what the Speedway cost, then all the losses since 2007 probably around $20m more. No wonder Murray cant remember any of this as the numbers are just so horrific he can get his head cavity to comprehend any of as yet. Just the tip of the iceberg. Have not added Route K $70m, Mount Cossie $40m, this is al just so bad and getting worse every day.
big ted
Posted on 02-08-2015 20:57 | By The Master
They are on warm feeling good happy land and so have drifted off and away from the real world. Funny thing is Tauranga Council said a couple of important things about this. Firstly, that Tauranga ratepayers wee to pay nothing towards it or ongoing. Second Creative Tauranga were to 'raise' the money, looking at the list of donee's and ignoring Tauranga Council and its related divisions and branches and also TECT, there is almost nothing else left at all. Add to that the total raised is well short of the required total of $800,000 means after a couple of years Tauranga ratepayers will be nailed for the up keep and maintenance.
Facts about Hairy Maclary
Posted on 03-08-2015 16:11 | By Jennifer
The project cost around $650,000, not $3-4 Million. The Council has not paid for the majority of this. Major funders were TECT, CityCare, MBIE, Rotary and hundreds of members of the community. Yes we do believe this is a legacy project for the City and the proof will be in the pudding of people coming to visit Tauranga to see these gorgeous characters brought to life. Thank goodness for some people of vision to do something unique for Tauranga.
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