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Credit: Grahame Felton
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Thursday, 17 July 2008 |
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Grahame Felton must be one of our older Heathcote Valley residents and he has lived here now for ten years. He has kindly agreed to list some of the features that make our valley special.
There are many possibilities for a list like this of course, so we asked Grahame to pick his top ten reasons to live in Heathcote. Taken together, they are why Grahame and his wife Doreen "desire to stay in the valley for the rest of our lives". For these two, particularly as Grahame is now 90, the valley will always be home.
 It's interesting to see how the natural qualities of the Heathcote
Valley are still at the top of this list, followed by the activities
that have been a part of valley life for so long, namely the Ferrymead
Heritage Park, the Ferrymead Pony Club and the Heathcote Valley Riding
School. The Christchurch Gondola, which created so much controversy at
its inception, has made the list at number ten. Maybe the newer additions such as the Tamaki Maori Village will be in a higher spot on any future list.
Here they are, Grahame's list of the top ten reasons to live in the Heathcote Valley...
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A famously sheltered micro-climate.
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A beautiful backdrop of appealing, ever changing hills.
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Nature still at her best!
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Cleaner air, free of the smog of many other suburbs.
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A top order primary school with a large pool.
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A great bus service (28) to town and hospital (35).
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Native birds, bush & tracks on the Castle Rock slopes.
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The magnificent Ferrymead Heritage Park and clubs.
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Pony clubs with open grazing lands.
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A gondola with fine views, shopping area and cafe.
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And the rest of the reasons on Grahame's list, that didn't make his top ten:
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Small holdings for sheep, cattle and prime stock.
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A new golf driving range, with mini golf and a shop.
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The Still Rock Cafe with indoor and outdoor dining.
- The splendidly realistic Tamaki Maori Village.
- A new soccer ground and upmarket pavilion.
- Updated tennis and netball courts.
- A dairy, a coffee shop and an excellent pub.
- A kindergarten for the children.
- Numerous and well maintained walking tracks.
- An excellent Domain with fine playing fields
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Do you agree with this list? We can think of some others and I am sure you can too. Use our Send Us Your Story page to let us know all about your favourites.
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