Council garden worker reaches 50 years’ service … and still going strong

All of Rotorua Lakes Council’s acclaimed city’s gardens and sports fields have benefitted from Wally Jacobs’ Midas touch over the years.

And it’s not surprising he knows his stuff, as on Wednesday (4 March) the Rotorua Contracting business unit (formerly Castlecorp) reserves labourer reaches his 50 year milestone working for the council.

While 50 years working for one organisation is an impressive number to rack up, Wally sees himself as fortunate to have been able to contribute to beautifying the city he loves.

“Rotorua is beautiful. I work all over the place and I love the scenery and lakes. It’s a job I’d do for nothing,” he said. “Fifty years have gone by fast - the harder you work, the quicker the day goes.”

Born and bred in Katikati, Wally moved to Rotorua in 1965 as an 18 year old to work for the then-borough council as a gardener in Kuirau Park. Back then, there were just three people in the gardening crew. Now the city’s parks and sports grounds have grown to the point where more than 30 garden workers are needed.

His jobs have included planting street trees and operating heavy machinery such as tractors with bucket and truck unit, and a Bobcat.

Rotorua Contracting parks operations manager, Brent Smith, said Wally has helped shape many of the gardens and sports fields around the district, as well as contributing to a raft of other projects around town, including Rotorua Lakefront works.

“Wally is a pleasure to work with. He always gives his best to achieve anything that’s asked of him. He’s well respected among his co-workers and is held in high regard for his skills as a machine operator.”

Just a couple of years shy of his 70th birthday, Wally is not ready to hand over the keys to his Bobcat just yet.

“It’s a good job and the people I work with are brilliant. I’ll try and work here for another 50 years,” he joked.

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