Recreational Turf Trust granted $95k

Media Release

Oamaru’s North Otago Recreational Turf Trust was the major beneficiary of the Otago Community Trust’s October funding round. The Otago Community Trust approved a $95,000 donation to the Trust which will assist with the cost of replacing the recreational hockey turf at Centennial Park.

North Otago Recreational Turf Trust chairman Ray Simpson explains that the current water based turf was originally laid in 1999 and while it has been maintained to a high standard, it is now impractical and uneconomic to continue repairing it. “The expected life span of a turf is typically 10 years and we have had 17 years out of it” Mr Simpson said.

If further fundraising is successful it is hoped that the replacement project will commence in early 2017. When completed the overall facility will meet all the needs of Hockey New Zealand standards for hosting national tournaments and test matches.

The Otago Community Trust was pleased to provide an $11,040 donation to the Royal NZ Foundation of the Blind.  Otago Community Trust Chief Executive Barbara Bridger explains this donation will contribute towards the purchase of forty five iPad minis for visually impaired people living in the Otago region. 

“The iPads will give library users access to the BookLink app which contains the entire Blind Foundation Library talking book collection. Having access to this resource and others are considered a life line by many, particularly for older members” Ms Bridger said.

The Upper Clutha Tracks Trust in Wanaka received a $10,000 donation from the Otago Community Trust. This donation will assist with improving accessibility to the track network in the Upper Clutha basin for users who have mobility restrictions.

Upper Clutha Tracks Trust treasurer John Wellington said “where possible existing barriers, such as stiles and kissing gates will be removed from the tracks and replaced with wheelchair accessible structures such as swing gates”. The aim is to have a track network that can be enjoyed by as many members of the community as possible.  All track users will benefit from the improved facilities, but the main benefit will be to those members of the community who have mobility restrictions and young families with children.

Smaller donations approved in the October meeting including $480 to the Otago University Students Association - Queer Support group to assist with the cost of holding a hui with the aim of providing education and network opportunities for people working directly with youth; $350 to the Cromwell Farmers & Craft Market to assist with new signage; and $1,000 to the Kiwi Swim Club Inc for cost of holding the Kiwi Swim Challenge, a swimming competition to be held on the 20^th of November at Moana Pool.

In total, the Otago Community Trust gave a total of $ 210,019 to 28 community organisations in October 2016.

 

Otago Community Trust Donations, October 2016
Alexandra	Alexandra Primary School	3,700
	Alexandra and Districts Youth Trust	5,000
Balclutha	Kaka Point Surf Life Saving Club	4,500
Cromwell	Cromwell Farmers & Craft Market	350
Dunedin	Caledonian Society of Otago Inc	200
	Dunedin City Jazz Orchestra Inc	200
	Otago University Students Association - Queer Support	480
	Kiwi Swim Club Inc	1,000
	Rape Crisis Dunedin Inc	1,099
	Kaikorai Grays Sport & Travel Inc	1,500
	Dunedin Choral Society	4,300
	Bayfield Kindergarten	5,500
	Dunedin Santa Parade Trust	15,000
Oamaru	Oamaru Combined Churches - Outreach	1,000
	Waitaki Summer Music Camp	2,000
	North Otago Yacht & Power Boat Club	2,600
	North Otago Recreational Turf Trust	95,000
Otago	Waitaki Valley Medical Trust	2,000
	Central Otago Regional Choir	5,000
Other	Heart Foundation of New Zealand	2,750
	Untouched World Charitable Trust	5,000
	Royal NZ Foundation of the Blind	11,040
Waik/Palm	Otago Mounted Games Association	800
	East Otago High School	17,000
Wanaka	Holy Family School	4,000
	Wanaka Croquet Club	4,000
	Queenstown Lakes District Council - Summerdaze Festival	5,000
	Upper Clutha Tracks Trust	10,000