The famous Rakaia Salmon statue is due to be reinstated next week, but its miniature version needs repairs after being damaged.
Ashburton District Council open spaces manager Ian Soper announced the statue’s return, at a council briefing on Wednesday.
Rakaia’s salmon statue was removed last year to undergo an almost $300,000 makeover, including a fresh coat of paint.
At the same meeting, it was revealed a miniature version of the salmon at the town’s new mini golf course needs repairs.
The Mini Mid Canterbury golf course opened at the EA Networks Centre in November.
EA Networks Centre’s manager Richard Wood said there had been “a little bit of damage” to the salmon.
“The salmon has some dents and holes, and we assume they’ve been made with a club, which is disappointing. “
He said they are working with Creo, who designed and built the course, on a sturdier design.
“Our contractor has made some minor running repairs to date, with all costs covered by the contractor’s warranty.
“The full remedial works will be done after the school holiday period.”
Meanwhile, the 12-metre fibreglass sculpture has almost completed it refurbishment by its original sculptor Phil Price.
Councillors had voted in October to spend up to $297,000 plus gst from the Reserves Contribution Reserve for the refurbishment.
Price’s tender of $215,000 was based on completing the refurbishment on site, but he was concerned about the quality of work being on site compared to working in the controlled environment of his studio.
The added removal, transportation to his workshop and return journey for reattachment was estimated to be around $82,000, bringing the total budget to $297,000.
The salmon was removed, by a hook on a crane, on December 11 to Price’s workshop, where his team sandblasted, scraped back cracked epoxy and added new layers.
The repeated filling, undercoating, and sanding had prepared the surface for a paint job that would last another 30 years, Price said.
The salmon will remain silver grey in colour and the artists have used spray guns to add scale details and the pearl metallic colours of a real fish.
Price had first constructed the salmon when he was 25, commissioned by the Rakaia Lions Club to create the sculpture in 1990.
His team have worked hard to restore it to its former glory, using a special industrial paint to ensure it withstands the harsh sun and wind, Price said.
The restoration is complete, and now it will be returned to its site on State Highway 1 in Rakaia next week.
