Queenstown’s council’s mourning the loss of a ‘‘true mate’’.
Property and infrastructure general manager Pete Hansby, 55, died on Saturday after a short illness.
Acting council CEO Meaghan Miller says Pete had two stints with council, initially from 1994 to 2004, during which time he held roles including consents and roading engineer, and was a Civil Defence local controller who was a critical part of the team that responded to the 1999 Queenstown floods.
He then moved to Christchurch City Council’s City Care Ltd, and became southern regional GM, before being appointed City Care’s emergency response manager following the 2010 and 2011 Canterbury earthquakes.
Miller says he recently commented that was a period in his career that prepared him for any future challenge, ‘‘no matter how big’’.
Pete then took on a short but critical job with Aecom as Christchurch Rebuild director, in 2013, before returning to Queenstown’s council in 2014 as infrastructure GM, later extending his responsibility to include property.
Miller says he was a ‘‘tireless campaigner for improving the way people lived, worked, travelled and played’’ in the district, was a key member of the Kā Huanui a Tāhuna Project alliance board, and an ‘‘enormously respected and valued member of the QLDC executive leadership team’’.
Pete’s latterly spearheaded Queenstown’s CBD street upgrades project, which is nearing completion.
‘‘If there is one small comfort we can all take from Pete’s loss it is that his legacy can be seen right around the district in the multitude of projects he was very proud to deliver,’’ Miller says.
‘‘He was passionate about his work … the Queenstown Lakes district and enormously proud of his family.’’
She says the council family, and many who’ve worked with Pete over his 35-year career, are ‘‘deeply saddened by the loss of a special colleague and, for many, a true mate’’.
Pete was farewelled in a private service yesterday.
He’s survived by his wife, Felicity, and daughters Madi and Gracie.
