Community house funding confidence

Members and supporters of the Wanaka Community House Charitable Trust on the site of the proposed...
Members and supporters of the Wanaka Community House Charitable Trust on the site of the proposed community house yesterday were (from left) Jane Baker, Heather Kerr, Yeverley McCarthy, Dame Sukhi Turner (chairwoman), Peter Southwick, Sarah Scott,...

Finding the $3 million to pay for the building of a new community house in Wanaka seems unlikely to be a problem.

Wanaka Community House Charitable Trust chairwoman Dame Sukhi Turner expressed confidence to the Otago Daily Times this week the money would be found if the project got consent from the Queenstown Lakes District Council.

The trust has just lodged its application to build in the grounds of St Columba's Anglican Church, in McDougall St.

The site is zoned low-density residential, and using it for the community house would require a ''non-complying activity'' resource consent.

Dame Sukhi said the trust had been working hard to ''get all its ducks in a row'' before applying for the consent.

''Now we have got what I think is a robust application.''

Costs so far had been funded by the Central Lakes Trust and Dame Sukhi believed it would continue to be a major funder.

''So as soon as we get the consent, we can actually hit the road.''

Dame Sukhi said the trust effectively had ''three-quarters of a million in the bank already'' because it was being provided with rent-free use of the land owned by the Anglican Diocese of Dunedin.

The community house would provide office and meeting space for charitable and not-for-profit groups, as well as a hall capable of holding 140 people.

mark.price@odt.co.nz

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