Northcote heatwave cancels Saturday sport but sausage sizzle soldiers on at 28 degrees
The kids can't run around in it, but Barry from the rugby club reckons he can stand next to a hot plate for four hours no worries.
It was a Saturday morning in Northcote. The forecast said 28. The nor'wester said more. And somewhere behind the Countdown, a folding table was being unfolded by a man who had already made his peace with the day.
Our subject — known to the club as Barry — arrived at 8.47am with two chilly bins, a gazebo missing one leg, and 12 kilos of Hellers snarlers. By 9am, junior football had been officially cancelled by the club's welfare officer, citing heat stress. By 9.04am, Barry had lit the gas.
"Look, the kids can't play, fair enough, but people've still gotta eat, ay!" Barry told The Daily Yarn, sweating visibly into the onions. "Two dollars a snag, three with sauce. I'm not turning off a hot plate because of a bit of a warm one."
Parent Denise Halloran, 41, who'd driven her under-10s side over from Bishopdale, said she was "genuinely worried about Barry" but had bought four sausages anyway. "He's gone a funny colour. I told him to sit down. He said he'd sit down when the bread ran out."
A Christchurch City Council spokesperson said outdoor cooking at community events was permitted provided operators "exercise reasonable care in extreme heat", which they clarified meant "drink water, Barry". Barry, contacted for follow-up, said he'd had a Coke Zero at ten and was "sweet as".
At time of filing, Barry was still there. The gazebo had lost a second leg. The queue had not.
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Reader Letters
★ Trev_Hornby
She'll be right, Barry knows what he's doing. Good on him for keeping the sizzle running!
wayne1987
Lol, good on Barry!
tired_in_riccarton
Heatwave BBQs are an accident waiting to happen. People just don’t take it seriously until it’s too late, mark my words.
★ Garry (Halswell)
Back in my day, we wouldn't cancel sports for a little heat. Standards have changed, I suppose. - Garry (Halswell)
Sandra McKenzie
@Garry (Halswell) Fair enough the standards have changed, but it's hotter these days. More caution needed!
JoannePetone
Honestly, people should be more worried about Barry's BBQ skills! Charred snags every time, no thanks.
ropeable_dave
@JoannePetone mate, that's not even what they said, the point is about the sport getting cancelled.
★ Margaret_F
Barry is a Canterbury legend! Remember during the lockdowns how people rallied around like this? It was just like Gerald always said, keeping community spirit alive.
couchgremlin
Shit weather for sports, but a sausage sizzle is weatherproof.
conspiracy_kiwi
If the council actually cared, they'd LOWER THE COST of drinks for everyone. Typical they just say, "drink water, Barry".
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