A senseless act of destruction has left a local fishing trust struggling to run its popular community events.
On New Year’s Eve, Fire and Emergency was called to a fire at the Waimea Park Fishing Ponds after culprits moved a portaloo next to the trust’s storage container, stuffed wood underneath it and set the toilet alight.
The container was destroyed, and everything inside was damaged beyond repair.
The ponds are operated by the Sport Fishing for Youth Trust, established in 2012 by a group of trout fishers keen to help young people connect with the outdoors and, hopefully, foster a lifelong respect for the environment.
Each year the trust releases 800 to 900 fish into the ponds, giving young people a good chance of seeing trout in the clear water even if they don’t land one.
The destroyed container held almost everything needed for the trust’s Fish Out days, where children and older people are taught to fish at no cost.
“The container has a timber floor, so it’s burnt straight through,” trust member Ian Kearney says.
“It would’ve been an inferno,” fellow trust member Dion Forbes adds, as the unmistakable smell of char still lingers around the site two months on.
The fire means upcoming Fish Out days will run differently.
“It just means that we can no longer offer those fish out days in the way we normally have,” Ian says. “We expect to be able to do the April and May events, we just might struggle with a couple of things.”
The container also housed specialist equipment used to keep the ponds clear of weed.
“The weed raisers, we imported them from the States a few years ago, they are ruined as well,” Ian says.
The trust opens the ponds for public fishing from mid-December to the end of March, then again from early June to the end of October. Maintenance is done during the closed periods.
With March ending soon and maintenance season approaching, the trust hopes community support will help them replace the damaged weed raisers.
“I think it’s fair to say, we budget to break even and it’s a thumbs up if we do,” Ian says of their ability to simply replace the damaged items.
After Dion shared their situation on Facebook, Nelson’s Boxman immediately offered a hand.
“They have offered us a 40-foot container with free delivery,” Dion says.
“It’s a lot bigger than what we had, so it’s just working out where to put it, but it will have an office and an area where we can process fish on the Fish Out days so the kids can just bring the fish up and the guys can sit there and sort them out for them.”
In the meantime, the trust is determined to keep its events going.
“We're hoping somebody will come to the party and give us some outdoor tables and chairs,” Dion says.
Offers of assistance can be made through the trust’s website at youthfishing.org.nz
