Media Release for immediate use 18 December 2008

Lake Tekapo Recreational Park Latest Beneficiary Of Meridian Waitaki Community Fund

The Waitaki community has benefited from more than $140,000 of support thanks to the latest round of funding from the Meridian Waitaki Community Fund.

In its third and final round of funding for 2008, the Meridian Waitaki Community Fund advisory panel chose thirteen community-led initiatives to receive funding.

The organisations to receive funding are the Waitaki Valley Farmers’ Market, Haldon Correspondence Unit Parent Committee, Aoraki Mount Cook Playgroup, Waitaki St John Ambulance Area Committee, Twizel Indoor Bowling Club, Waitaki Valley Medical Trust, Twizel Community Care Trust, Kurow Freemasons, Upper Waitaki Pioneer Museum and Art Gallery, Kurow Heritage and Information Centre, High Country Health Limited, South Canterbury Hospice Incorporated and Lake Tekapo Recreational Park Incorporated.

Lake Tekapo Recreational Park Incorporated received the largest contribution to purchase the equipment required for the upkeep of the planned regional park at Lake Tekapo.

The Regional Park will be situated on 165 hectares of land, which is administered by Environment Canterbury. ECAN will work in partnership with Lake Tekapo Recreational Park Incorporated to establish the park, with support from the MacKenzie District Council.

The Park will feature mountain biking tracks, walking and running tracks, picnic areas and other recreational facilities, whilst also developing the conservation values of the area.

The Meridian Community Fund Advisory Panel granted $50,000 worth of funding to enable Lake Tekapo Recreational Park to purchase a shed, tractor, trailer and other tools vital to the maintenance of the park.

Murray Cox, from the recreational park, says the support from the Meridian Fund is invaluable to the process of creating a regional park at Lake Tekapo

“We are delighted to receive the funding required to purchase the equipment to enable us to begin work on the proposed recreational park at Lake Tekapo. The tractor, trailer and tools will enable us to clear some of the land and create tracks for walking and cycling,” he says.

“Lake Tekapo is such a beautiful area and it is important that we have the facilities available for visitors and locals to enjoy it. Huge numbers of visitors come to, or pass through Tekapo with cycles on their cars so it is important that we encourage them to stop and spend some time here,” he added.

Lake Tekapo Recreational Park Incorporated hopes to be able to start clearing the land early in the New Year. It is hoped that the recreational park will have some tracks available for use in the next couple of years and be complete with other recreational facilities within ten years.

Mark France, Meridian Strategic Relations Advisor and Chair of the Waitaki Community Fund, says the panel is pleased to be able to support a variety of worthwhile initiatives in the latest round of funding.

“The panel is delighted to be able to support so many worthy initiatives that will make a real difference to the Waitaki community. The regional park project at Lake Tekapo is a particularly good one. The recreational park will be a fantastic facility that will provide locals and visitors a place where they can enjoy the beautiful scenery that the area has to offer. We look forward to seeing the project evolve over the coming months,” he says.

The Meridian Waitaki Community Fund is to the value of $1 million over three years, and is managed by a panel of community members and Meridian staff who work together to help decide which local initiatives are supported.

To find out more about the Meridian Waitaki Community Fund visit http://www.meridian.co.nz/AboutUs/

Applications for consideration in the next round must be submitted by 3 February 2009

Latest Meridian Waitaki Community Fund recipients

Waitaki Valley Farmers’ Market
$16,330 granted to purchase gazebos for use at the Waitaki Valley Farmers’ Market.

Haldon Correspondence Unit Parent Committee
$2,680.37 granted to purchase a new laser printer and six LCD monitors to assist with correspondence schooling at the Haldon Correspondence Unit.

Aoraki Mount Cook Playgroup
$2,685.57 granted to purchase new equipment, toys and activity sets for the playgroup and mobile toy library.

Waitaki St John Ambulance Area Committee
$20,000 granted to purchase, modify and paint an events caravan which will provide emergency support at local events, during civil defence emergencies, and be used as a training facility for new recruits.

Twizel Indoor Bowling Club
$5,000 granted to purchase a heat pump for the clubrooms

Waitaki Valley Medical Trust
$2,500 granted to assist with the implementation of the ‘Community Treatment Auditory Processing Disorder Project’ which will address specific learning disabilities in children.

Twizel Community Care Trust
$8,160 granted to assist with the provision of a Youth Worker for Twizel.

Kurow Freemasons
$10,000 granted to support the upgrade of one of Kurow’s historic buildings, specifically assisting with the cost of repairing the roof of the Kurow Masonic Hall.

Upper Waitaki Pioneer Museum and Art Gallery
$12,495 granted to purchase a climate controlled heat pump to preserve the museum collection.

Kurow Heritage and Information Centre
$2,000 granted to purchase an LCD screen and DVD players to enhance the visitor experience by providing audio visual information and history.

High Country Health Limited
$3,500 granted to purchase a defibrillator and baby scales which enables High Country Health to provide an essential service to the community.

South Canterbury Hospice Incorporated
$7,000 granted to purchase a community hospice bed for the Mackenzie District

Lake Tekapo Recreational Park Incorporated
$50,000 granted to purchase a shed, tractor, trailer and other tools that will be vital to the maintenance of the park

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