Redvale Landfill & Energy Park is favourably featured in a newly published book on the history of Dairy Flat.
Titled Hard Graft, the 448-page book chronicles the area's history, including a section on the development of Redvale in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
It describes the initial fears within the community about the proposed landfill, which led to the formation of the Dairy Flat Protection Society in an effort to stop it. However, after resource consent was granted, Hard Graft details how the community was won over—largely due to WM New Zealand fulfilling all its promises to protect the environment and support the community through the Dairy Flat Community Trust.
Chris Wills, Redvale Landfill Manager from 1992 to 2007, is recognised for his significant work in building trust within the community. A neighbour of the landfill is quoted as saying:
“Then Chris Wills arrived and was the nicest man on this earth…”
Another resident, who served on the inaugural Board of Trustees at neighbouring Dairy Flat School, concludes the chapter on Redvale with the following statement:
“They [WM New Zealand] have certainly lived up to everything they said they would do. They have turned out to be good neighbours in the community.”
This recognition highlights the positive relationship Redvale has built with the Dairy Flat community over the past three decades.
