by Chris Tobin
A touch of whimsy has come to Timaru to lighten up the dark days of Covid-19.
Knitted facemasks and other small knitted items have appeared on Timaru’s downtown statues.
Captain Cain, one of the town’s earliest residents, a sea captain and ex-mayor, poisoned to death by his son-in-law, was also sporting a colourful sleeve over his telescope outside the Landing Service building.
Timaru District Council spokesman Stephen Doran said he did not know the identity of the mystery knitter.
“It happens to different objects from time to time, yarn-bombing they call it.”
Also yarn-bombed was the statue of the triple world professional boxing champion, Bob Fitzsimmons, in central Timaru.
The former Timaru blacksmith had a facemask and small dainty handbaskets dangling from one of his wrists which would have been totally out of character for the tough, rugged boxer.
Finally, the paper boy statue outside the former Timaru Herald offices at the end of the Royal Arcade was also “yarn-bombed”.
The boy’s newspaper was covered in a colourful knitted wrap although the dog at his heel had been overlooked and had neither a facemask, nor any other adornment.
