Community Work Supervisor Ray Smith (left) and Senior Community Work Supervisor
Gordon Broome survey the work done by offenders around the racecourse stables.
Offenders in Otago are busy getting the Waikouaiti Racing Club grounds in shape for an event that will see residents from all over the region come together.
Each March hundreds of locals take part in the Otago Goldfields Cavalcade. They travel on horses, in wagons and on foot along the tracks that gold miners used in the Otago gold rushes.
Next year the meeting point will be the Waikouaiti Racecourse. With around 500 people expected to take part, work has already begun to prepare the facility to greet the weary travellers on their arrival.
For the past three months offenders have been working at the racecourse, tidying and renovating the stables, painting exteriors, digging ditches for drains, and repairing flood damage.
Waikouaiti Racing Club Treasurer Vince McLachlan, says the varied work has helped to keep the offenders motivated.
“Here there is always something different to do. The offenders enjoy the variation and as a result get a huge amount done,” says Vince.
“I’ve never had any trouble, they do what they’re told and are happy to do it. In fact, the hardest part is keeping up with them because they get things done so quickly!”
Having hard-working supervisors is part of this success and Vince is thankful to be able to hand over a list of things to do and know they’ll get done.
“Some people may say certain things about people on community work, but they’re just human. Everyone makes mistakes and this is an effective way for them to make up for those mistakes.”
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ISSN 1178-1327