Goodbye work, hello putters
By Tim O?Connell
After years of being a familiar face around Petone and within the Jackson Street Programme, a well known local figure prepares for a life of leisure in his retirement. Seventeen years of service has come to an end for long-serving treasurer of the Jackson Street Programme John Cranefield. Now, the focus for Mr Cranefield is now channelling his energies into more enriching activities beyond dealing with the pressures of the daily grind. "There's nothing specific planned really, just looking forward to playing a bit more golf and spending more time with the grandkids-maybe a bit of travelling." The decision to retire also means the end of an era for his accounting business, Cranefield and Associates, which has been operating from Jackson Street for many years, and the time has come to shut up shop. While the new phase of life has been slowly coming to fruition since November, Mr Cranefield has been busy tying up a few loose ends before he can truly enjoy his golden years. "I still come in to work to clean the office out, and I'm still working with a few old clients that I've known for 35 years who are also about to retire, so I'm still keeping busy." A Jackson Street Programme Board member since 1992, Mr Cranefield says he has seen the business community in the Village grow from strength to strength during his involvement. "I think it's changed considerably," he said. ?Jackson Street was run down, with lots of empty shops. ?I believe that a lot of the goals we set in the early days have been achieved. "With a focus on the historical flavour of the area and on building relationships with the council and retailers, we had our ups downs but overall I have enjoyed working on the JSP.? With Mr Cranefield stepping aside, the torch has been passed to a youthful replacement. Taking over the mantle as new treasurer for the Jackson Street Programme is local businesswoman Kiri Campbell, Director of ElitePlus NZ. Mr Cranefield holds plenty of optimism for the future efforts of the programme, stating that the current set up will continue to further the interests of the Petone business district. However, aside from finding a new tenant for his Jackson Street premises, the biggest concern for Mr Cranefield now is whether his handicap is improving.
