Park pavilion named to honour loyal volunteer

WARWICK SMITH/Manawatu Standard

MAYOR-TASTIC: Jono Naylor makes a pass.

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Long-time Manawatu netball volunteer Betty Steffensen was honoured when the new pavilion at Vautier Park was opened yesterday.

Mrs Steffensen, who played once for New Zealand in 1960, had the pavilion named after her.

The new facility will be known as the Steffensen Lounge.

The event was marked with a game of fastnet played by a composite team of Manawatu under-17 and under-19 representative players against some well-known Manawatu faces.

The skill of the rep players outshone the passion of the celebrities who were beaten 30-16 in the four-quarter game.

Those watching were treated to another quarter of excitement when the celebrities gained some revenge due to the sharp shooting of Manawatu Jet Richard Jeter.

Palmerston North Mayor Jono Naylor, Manawatu District Mayor Ian McKelvie and Labour MP Iain Lees-Galloway all played for the celebrity team.

Mrs Steffensen was taken by surprise when she was asked to come forward at the opening, but Netball Manawatu general manager Louise Clarke had told her earlier in the week that she would be involved in some capacity.

"I had absolutely no idea in the world," Mrs Steffensen said of the announcement.

"She [Clarke] told me, `I've got a little job for you to do after the game', and I thought I'd probably hand out a trophy they might be giving to the winning team and that's absolutely the only thought I had for it."

Mrs Steffensen began volunteering for the Manawatu Netball Association, as it was known then, in 1957 and she is now the convener of life memberships for Netball New Zealand.

Mrs Steffensen was made a life member of Netball Manawatu in 1991.

The $560,000 upgrade of the facilities at Vautier Park was funded by the Palmerston North City Council.

The upgrade included improved changing rooms, new public toilets and a viewing deck from the pavilion.

- © Fairfax NZ News