Family unite for naming of street

The official naming of a street in Ranfurly will bring several generations of one family together tomorrow in an impromptu reunion.

Ranfurly's volunteer radio station Burn 729am held a competition for listeners to name the street after it was discovered void of a title by one of the station's announcers last September.

More than 50 people submitted ideas through the radio station, which were forwarded to the Central Otago District Council in order to check whether the names were already in use across the district.

The Maniototo Community Board chose its preferred name from a final list at one of its meetings last December.

The name, which will not be publicly announced before 10.30am tomorrow is historically linked to a Maniototo resident born at St Bathans in 1872 who owned a store in Ranfurly.

This weekend's official unveiling and historical display for the street has attracted more than 40 of the man's descendants from throughout New Zealand.

The eldest surviving member of the family, in her 80s, will cut a ribbon across the street to officially open it, after which the youngest descendant (nine weeks), will help to unveil signage at the other end.

Maniototo Community Board chairman Richard Smith will be present and a lolly scramble for children will mark the end of the ceremony.

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