Gibbston waits for trail money

Having fulfilled requirements set by the Lottery Grants Board and various community trusts who offered funds towards the construction of the Gibbston River Trail, the small Gibbston community is now waiting anxiously for the money to arrive.

Gibbston Community Association chairwoman Susan Stevens said the next step was to order beams for the 11 bridges, which would protect archaeological sites along the trail.

The beams cost over $100,000, and not having received confirmation from any of the funders was delaying the placement of orders, she said.

"We have sent verification to the Community Trust of Southland and the Central Lakes Trust [that requirements for funding have been met] and now we are just waiting to hear back," Mrs Stevens said.

However, she was confident with the support of both the Department of Conservation, which will eventually have the ownership and management of the completed trail, and Queenstown Lakes District Council, that the funding would be available soon.

"Both the council and Doc have offered to send further verification that we have fulfilled our obligations," Mrs Stevens said.

One was to have a legal sign-off on some of the easements for the privately owned land through which the trail will pass.

One of the grants required the easement be completed before the money to build the trail was released.

"Normally, that is done after the trail is constructed . . . we are changing the order a bit."

While there was other money already waiting, the grants had been given for specific tasks and Mrs Stevens was uneasy about dipping into reserve funds "in the meantime".

"We are being very cautious and doing everything by the book . . . it is a big risk for the Gibbston community [if grants fall through]," Mrs Stevens said.