$55,000 for Oamaru’s Cycle Learning Park

Media Release

A $55,000 donation from the Otago Community Trust will assist the Friendly Bay Railway Bridge
Restoration Trust with the development of a new cycle learning park in Oamaru. The park, which will
be located north of the historic rail bridge, will provide a safe environment where children can learn
to ride and become better educated on traffic situations in a controlled environment.

The Waitaki District Council has committed $130,000 to the project and has approved plans for the
park. “The cycle park will become an important addition to an already vibrant area of Oamaru. It’s
located close to existing mountain bike tracks, the proposed Oamaru BMX Park and the finish of the
Alps to Ocean trail, which the Otago Community Trust also has contributed generously too. We
foresee that the bike park will be a great community asset” said Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher.

The construction of the new cycle learning park is set to begin in November and completion is
scheduled for early 2017. The development will provide parking, a picnic area, plantings, and seating
ideal for families and all members of the community.

The Rotary Club of Dunedin received a $45,000 donation from the Otago Community Trust. This
donation will assist with the cost of further developing the West Harbour Recreational Pathway.
Chief Executive Barbara Bridger said “the further development of the West Harbour Recreational
Pathway is an exciting project which will see the installation of exercise equipment, a barbeque
facility and a Tai Chi area”. Members of Rotary Club Dunedin and individuals from the wider
community have spent hours undertaking the necessary clearing and preparation of suitable track
areas ready for planting and the installation of seating, tables and recreational equipment. “The
Otago Community Trust is pleased to support the further development of this popular pathway” she
said.

The Otago Community Trust continued its ongoing support toward the 4Trades Apprenticeships
programme through a $22,000 donation. 4Trades provides an invaluable programme for helping
young people into apprenticeships and helps to address Otago’s need for skilled and qualified
workers in the Trades sector.

The Community Builders project also received a $20,000 donation to continue with the facilitation of
community orientated workshops and forums.

Smaller donations approved in the September meeting included a $2,200 to the Ida Valley Pool Trust
to assist with the cost of replacing the pool cover; $300 to the Otago Embroiderers’ Guild for their
Biennial Exhibition which will be open to the public from Tuesday 15th November to Saturday 19th
November; and $1,000 to the West Harbour Arts Charitable Trust for supporting their ‘Artist in
Residence Week’ for school and pre-school children in the West Harbour area.

The Otago Community Trust gave a total of $207,754 to 20 community organisations in September.

 

Otago Community Trust Donations, September 2016
Alexandra	Central Otago Friendship Network	1,500
Dunedin	West Harbour Arts Charitable Trust	1,000
	Ravensbourne School	2,000
	Community Builders	20,000
	For Trades Apprenticeship Training Trust	22,000
	Dunedin Gymnastics Academy	30,000
	Dunedin Theatre Reviewers Collective	300
	Otago Embroiderers Guild Inc	300
	Tuvalu Community	300
	St Brigids School	4,000
	Rotary Club of Dunedin	45,000
	Blueskin Youth & Community Amenities Association	5,000
	Vogel Street Party Charitable Trust	7,500
Mosgiel	Mosgiel Memorial RSA (Inc)	500
Oamaru	Waitaki Community Recreation Centre Trust	1,000
	Friendly Bay Railway Bridge Restoration Trust	55,000
	Oamaru Victorian Heritage Celebrations Committee	8,000
Otago	The Brain Injury Assn (Otago) Inc	354
Other	AphasiaNZ Charitable Trust	1,800
Ranfurly	Ida Valley Pool Trust	2,200