Two major Mid-Canterbury tourism projects get funding boost

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
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Plans to keep an historic ice skating rink open at least three months a year and reopen a popular waterfall walking track have been given a financial boost.

Ashburton's Braided Rivers Community Trust has given out $457,919 worth of grants to 14 organisations in Mid-Canterbury.

The trust, in conjunction with the Lions Foundation, gave $150,000 to the Staveley Hall Society’s $1.12 million refrigeration project to future-proof the rural town’s historic skating rink, and $75,000 to the Mt Somers Walkway Society towards its plans to reinstate walking access to Sharplin Falls.

Trust chief executive Rob Reid said the two tourism projects were great ones for the trust to get behind.

“The ice rink is going to be a huge project for the district,” Reid said.

The redevelopment project would provide the necessary infrastructure to keep the rink open for ice skating and curling at least three months a year.

Project spokeswoman Claire Harden said the grant brought the project’s fundraising total to $753,352.

“We are not far off now.”

Most of the work would begin after this year's ice skating season – if the weather allowed, Harden said.

The project is planned to be completed in time for the 2023 season.

Next to the rink is the currently inaccessible Sharplin Falls, but the local walkway group plans to change that.

Rockfalls on the track during and after the 2011 earthquakes forced the Department of Conservation (DOC) to close the track due to safety concerns.

Following extensive consultation with DOC and geologists, the Mt Somers Walkways Society has undertaken to build a new track itself.

Society fundraising co-ordinator Jack Allan said the $75,000 grant from the trust kept them on target and was a great boost to start the new year.

The project was estimated to cost about $470,000, but Allan said that may increase due to the rising cost of steel, with the major cost of the project being two new 30-metre-long bridges.

The other complicating factor was that several events planned to benefit the project had to be postponed or cancelled, he said.

List of recipients:
Mid-Canterbury Children’s Trust Board – Children’s Day entertainment costs 2022: $12,000
Mt Somers Walkways Soc Inc – bridges for the reinstated Sharplin falls track: $75,000
Rotary Club of Ashburton Plains Inc – two berths on Spirit of Adventure: $5000
Ashburton Toy Library – running costs: $7000
Rakaia Community Assn Inc – Fencing for new dog park: $21,037
Ashburton Railway & Preservation Soc Inc – Maintenance costs: $33,000
Zonta Club of Ashburton Charitable Trust – International Women's Day costs: $3882
Dorie Preschool Trust – running costs: $15,000
Ashburton Netherby School – Numicon resources and library costs: $18,000
Family Help trust – vehicle and IT Equipment: $20,000
Caninspire Charitable Trust – running costs: $10,000
Ashburton Swim Team Inc – competition and travel costs: $30,000
Mid-Canterbury Netball Inc – running costs: $60,000
Staveley Hall Society – costs for new ice Sskating rink: $150,000
Total: $457,919