Regional Development Minister Shane Jones has officially opened six new cabins in Reefton’s Domain campground, built to help accommodate an influx of workers at Edura Mining’s Snowy River goldmine.
Funding for ten cabins has come from the company, a loan from Development West Coast, and Better-Off funding granted to the Buller District Council as part of the last government’s three waters project.
Jones and his wife Dorothy led a party of West Coast council members including Buller mayor Jamie Cleine and Grey mayor Tania Gibson on a tour of the new units this morning.
He was impressed with the speed of the town’s response to the need for housing and the collaboration between council and local businesses, he said.
At the Broadway tearooms after the function he was ambushed by a colourful life-size statue of himself - complete with Freddy the Frog perched on its shoulder – commissioned by local businessman John Bougen.
"I am deeply honoured -I see it’s got a generous mouth on it – I was born with my gob open," he told LDR.
The mining company expects to employ 250 people within a year, as it takes on more staff and builds its processing plant on site at Snowy River about 30km south of Reefton.
- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
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