In 2003 the club established Keating Park, named after our patrons Pat and Joan Keating. It is leased from Environment Canterbury and is at McLeans Island in the Waimakariri River Regional Park. Other facilities in the area include the Vintage Car Club, Steam Scene, and Orana Wildlife Park. Keating Park is about 20 km from the Christchurch city centre.
The site was initially a weedy and unkempt area but the club rallied around and cleaned it up. The club grounds now have storage sheds, a workshop, club rooms, water supply and sewage treatment, and mains power.
The club rooms are a former unused scout hall relocated from Hoon Hay in Christchurch. It has been refurbished by club members and it contains a meeting room, kitchen, library, toilets and showers. It suffered from some damage during the Christchurch earthquakes but has since been repaired.
Keating Park is now home to an impressive range of vintage machinery and memorabilia. Some of the machinery is fully restored and there is even more that is awaiting restoration. The collection currently has a strong focus on agricultural machinery but there is also industrial machinery such as concrete mixers, a lathe, a crane, and a number of woodworking machines. Our recently built display shed also houses a number of household items and memorabilia.
Ongoing development and maintenance of the 14 hectare club grounds is done by club members young and old, male and female. The expansive grounds and facilities can be made available to other groups by arrangement.
An aerial photo of the club grounds.
Image courtesy of Environment Canterbury.
For more information about McLeans Island see the page at Environment Canterbury