Fresh look for historic bulldozer

Children can again imagine they are ploughing through Antarctic ice when they climb on board the big, yellow bulldozer at Harrington Park.

The historic DC4 Caterpillar machine has returned to the Riccarton playground after being given a shiny, new makeover led by local residents with help from the Halswell Hornby Riccarton Community Board.

The bulldozer was originally built in Orlando, Florida and sent to the United States Navy at McMurdo Station Antarctica where it was used as a general work horse tractor. 

The Harrington Park bulldozer was in a poor state before its makeover.

It was brought to Christchurch in the mid-1970s by the US Navy when, as a part of Operation Deepfreeze, it had a base at Christchurch Airport. The McMurdo base commander at the time donated it to Harrington Park through the Riccarton Rotary Club. It was restored from military colours to its original yellow paint job by the Gough Group.

However this paint job had deteriorated over four decades of use and local retired residents Wayne Chaney and Ken Twemlow came up with a plan to give the dozer a fresh look.

The Community Board gave about $750 from its Ward Enhancement Fund to cover the costs of moving the bulldozer from the park by crane, and the labour and paint costs were donated by Commercial Blast and Paint, and New Zealand Coating Supplies.

The vehicle was lifted off the site late last year and repainted before being returned to the park a few weeks ago.

Council Community Development Adviser Marie Byrne said it was great to see the local community taking the initiative. “It is a wonderful example of the community identifying a need and doing something about it themselves.”

“Locals and children from all over Christchurch absolutely love this bulldozer and it’s been missed by truck and tractor mad kids for the last few months so they’ll be very happy to have it back. There aren’t many places where people can jump on a real dozer and climb all over it.”

Mike Mora, Chairman of the Halswell Hornby Riccarton Community Board, is also pleased to see the restored bulldozer back in its rightful place. "It's great for the community and we're very thankful for the efforts of the kind volunteers who did a great job." 

A plaque documenting the bulldozer’s history will be installed in the near future.

The historic DC4 Caterpillar after its makeover with local resident Wayne Chaney on board.