Athletics has been part of Christchurch man Buzz Jones’ life for 73 years.
When the call went out to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair the Papanui TocH Athletic Club’s badly vandalised track, which was named after him, the former club president and life member sprang into action.
The 88-year-old painstakingly went through club records and newspaper clippings to track down club members he had been involved with over the decades to ask for donations to get TocH back on track.
Buzz’s efforts saw about $10,000 raised towards the $400,000 newly resurfaced track at Papanui High School.
The club has also fundraised through quiz nights, cookies, chocolate and croissant sales.
Getting it across the line were pokie machine grants - $120,000 from Kiwi Gaming Foundation, $50,000 each from Pub Charity and New Zealand Community Trust, and $20,000 from Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust - plus $95,000 from Christchurch City Council’s capital endowment fund.
“It is actually magnificent because it was a bit disheartening at one stage,” Buzz said.
He says each time he drives by the recently completed track, it gives him a big smile.
“I’m thrilled about it for the club, not only the athletes but the coaches too,” he said.
“The club itself is going really well and the track will be beneficial to schools in the northwest area,” Buzz said.
The Buzz Jones All Weather Track opened in February 2011.
But in 2019, three of the six lanes of the track were vandalised with about 20sq m ripped up.
Parent Tim Macioce said he got tired of seeing the track in its state.
“People used to complain about the track but no one really did much about it so I took it upon myself and I started to reach out to people that would want to fund the project,” he said.
That included Buzz, who said he asked for the committee’s blessing before canvassing former members and athletes.
“I went through my records to find addresses and then old newspapers with results of that person and included it in the letter.”
For $100, the “gimmick” was owning a square metre of the track.
“I had some come back with $200 and one person even sent $500.”
Club president Vanessa Buchan said it was a surreal feeling to have the track completed.
“It always seemed so far out of reach, it has been a bit of a ride.
“It is a lot of money, particularly in the current economic climate.
“We wanted to believe because it is an asset for the community.”
She was still in disbelief to be at the finish line.
“Still don’t know how to describe it, I still can’t believe it – just pretty stoked.”
- The re-opening ceremony for the Buzz Jones All Weather Track will be held on tonight (Tuesday, March 4) at 5.30pm.
