Untitled

Press, 26 November 1980, Page 3

A familiar Christchurch landmark, the Oregon Indian totem pole, has been re-sited at Christchurch Airport after extensive restoration work. The pole was removed from Little Hagley Park 18 months ago after an attack of dry rot. There were also complaints that it caused a traffic hazard when motorists slowed or stopped to look at it. Yesterday a group of men from the McVicar Timber Group, Ltd, helped to secure the totem pole in its new site near the roundabout at the end of Memorial Avenue. Mr D. L. Steele, who was in charge of the res-

toration, said about $6OOO had been spent on the work with three men working full time for nearly three months. The work involved treating the timber, carving out the rotten pieces, and replacing the missing sections. One of the main problems was obtaining colour photographs of the pole so it. could be repainted as close as possible to the original. The pole was a gift from the Oregon Centennial Commission in 1960 in return for hospitality shown to staff of the United States Antarctic support force.