An Unofficial Ambassador

I often get asked what has kept me in the role for such a long time, and I always say it’s the people. When I first got the job, the CEO of the council at the time said something I’ve never forgotten: “It’s not all about writing tickets, and because of your personality, you’ll make it worthwhile.” I think it’s because I’m a bit of a mother hen. I talk to people, whether it’s just saying hello as I’m walking past or stopping to have a chat. When I see people coming out of shops carrying their bags, I’ll open the car door for them, or help people get across the street with their walkers. And I’m always looking out for things that need repairing – if I see anything from leaking taps to hanging wires to trip hazards, I report it straight away.

I’m really proud of our community – and I’ve been here my whole life, so I feel that I’m qualified to say that. I was born and bred out at Riversdale – Mum and Dad had a farm out there. They didn’t have much to rub together, so we all worked really hard – hay baling, helping with the ducks and chooks. Mum was an amazing cook and preserver. I remember going up to Alexandra and coming home with a trailer full of fruit in little pine boxes. I’d use those to build huts once they were empty, although they eventually got broken down for kindling for the coal range.

Back then, I didn’t have any idea that my dream job would be a parking officer. I originally went into nursing, training at Kew Hospital in Invercargill, and coming back to Gore to the old hospital for nearly six years before it closed. I took redundancy, and for the following two killing seasons I trained and qualified as a lamb and mutton meat inspector in Mataura. With the arrival of Erin, my first daughter, then Corrine fifteen months later, I was an at-home mum for eighteen months. In 1993, I applied for a job at Gore District Council, doing part-time dog ranging. After three years, I got asked to move into the parking role, and I’ve been doing that ever since.

I find that the role is about education as much as anything else. In an older community like ours, often people have just forgotten to get it sorted in time and I’m able to prompt them. I also encounter younger drivers who aren’t yet familiar with the requirements, or the risks of driving unroadworthy cars, and my heart breaks. I take the time to explain what’s needed, encourage them to get their car checked, and support them in working towards compliance. I always say, “The police may look favourably on you if they can see you’re actively trying to address it.”

My first aid skills have been called into action a few times on the street, what with people falling over, bleeding noses and the like. There was a lady who fell in the Woolworths car park once. I saw people gathering and went over and just took over the scene. I’ve done twenty-five years of search and rescue as well, and all my training just kicked in. She had some bumps and cuts, but in the end it was the concussion that needed dealing with.

Funnily, one of the things I’ve become known for is promoting Gore and the surrounding area to the tourists passing through. Some people joke that I’m a roving information centre. Geographically, we’re right between Queenstown and Te Anau, Dunedin and Invercargill, so we get a lot of people passing through. When I spot them, I just say, “Hi, can I help? Where are you headed? Are you looking for something to do?” I’ve always got pamphlets in my pockets so I can steer them in the right direction.

I’m not the only one who has been around for a long time. My immediate boss, Frances, has been here going on thirty-six years, and Rowena in the Animal Services team has been here for thirty as well. We know each other’s kids and families – it’s a good place to work. And I enjoy the work, to feel that I can make a difference for the people of our community and those passing through.