Past CCNZ Waikato/Bay of Plenty Branch President Len Scherer died suddenly on 4 July 2021, just days after he had celebrated his 90th birthday with family and friends.
Len was President of the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Branch of CCNZ Civil Contractors (then the New Zealand Contractors Federation) from 1982-84. He bought his first bulldozer in the late 1950s, working in the Waikite Valley where he cleared scrub before the land was subdivided into dairy farming operations.
He then moved to Hamilton where he formed LP Scherer Ltd, an earthmoving contracting company employing up to ten people. Significant projects he and his team completed were the extensions to the Hamilton Airport runway, the layout of Mystery Creek for the now nationally renowned Field Days, the extension to Whakatane Airport runway and the foundations for the Whakatane Hospital.
Len’s company was extensively involved in subdivision development along with several major roading upgrades in Hamilton and throughout the Waikato. He was the first New Zealander to import WABCO elevating motor scrapers.
Len and his wife, Tilly retired to Whangamata in the mid-1980s (although retirement was not a word in Len’s vocabulary).
They enjoyed several sailing trips on their yacht, Riada II travelling to the islands in the South Pacific.
Len is survived by Tilly and his four sons, Phil, Tim, Benn and Scott. As per the funeral notice, a service for Len will be held at the Whangamata Ocean Sports Club, Port Road, Whangamata, on Saturday 10 July, at 3pm.