Culverden honours its fallen with new memorial
The Culverden community is ensuring future generations never forget the sacrifices of the town’s fallen.
The Culverden Community Committee held a sod-turning ceremony at Rutherford Reserve last week for the construction of a new World War 1 and World War 2 memorial that will feature a six metre high Corten steel laser-cut soldier and poppy, and which will be lit up at night.
Culverden Community Committee Chair David Croft welcomed the sod turning as the first physical works following close to three years of “pulling together funding” to build a memorial to Culverden’s fallen from both world wars.
“Although there are 21 names on the memorial, we are here to honour a lot more people than that who stood up for freedom and what we believe in in a small town,” Croft said.
Hurunui District Mayor Marie Black acknowledged the hard work of the many people who have worked to make the project a reality.
“As Council, an important part of what we do is working with our communities to support them in developing the projects that are important to them,” Mayor Black said. “Our rural communities are proud of the foundations of our shared history and it’s wonderful to see this legacy being carried forward to future generations.
“We can only think what it would have been like for our community to lose such a volume of young people in the hope of a better future.”
Croft said the new memorial was a fitting project for the use of funds held by the Culverden Community Committee from the sale of the Drill Hall in the 1980s. The Drill Hall had been gifted to the Culverden Community in 1902 by landowner and philanthropist Duncan Rutherford.
“Long-term resident Pat Hoban protected the money until the right project came along,” Croft said.
The Culverden community has fully backed the project, which was a recipient of the Hurunui District Council’s Heritage Award, Mayor Black said.
Amuri Area School head student Laura Cundy grew up with a grandfather impacted by World War 2, and student Board rep Brodie Marris with a great uncle. They said the memorial was important for future generations to be able to pay their respects.
“It was an important time in our history and it’s important for young people to understand and respect these sacrifices,” Cundy said.
A dedication service for the new memorial will take place on ANZAC Day 2025.