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Ferrymead Heritage Park’s financial recovery has been acknowledged with a $30,000 grant from Christchurch City Council’s Strengthening Communities Fund.
But if a suggestion from a city councillor gets off the ground, the previously troubled historic park could have an even brighter future.
The park applied for $61,500 towards operational costs, but council staff recommended it receive nothing because other applications were considered a higher priority.
Councillors overrode the recommendation, however, voting to give the park $30,000 on Tuesday towards implementing a future-focused business transformation project.
City council staff said the park had demonstrated clear, measurable progress over the past year in governance, financial management, partnerships and operational performance.
Park general manager Ian France was pleased with the grant, particularly after the park received nothing from the fund last year despite applying for $320,000.
“It was great to hear the acknowledgement from council of the progress that’s been made,” he said.
“The $30,000 enables us to actually continue that progress. (We are) really stoked to hear that support.”
At the same meeting, Harewood Ward councillor Aaron Keown said the park was a museum and should be funded as such.
He believes it should become part of the Canterbury Museum Trust Board Act 1993, which would ensure the park is funded by Selwyn, Waimakariri and Hurunui district councils, as well as the city council.
“Ferrymead doesn’t just represent Christchurch, it represents all of Canterbury and New Zealand’s history, it just happens to sit in Christchurch,” he told Bay Harbour News.
He said Canterbury ratepayers would not even notice the amount of money that would be invested in the park.
Keown referenced its Auckland equivalent, the Museum of Transport and Technology, which receives about $20 million a year from Auckland Council.
The funding would be used to deliver a plan to attract more people to the park and complete projects it had previously lacked the funds to undertake.
“We’re just ignoring a really strong part of Christchurch, Canterbury and New Zealand’s heritage and history by not doing that,” he said.
City council staff have committed to discussing the idea with Keown.
France said it was positive to hear Keown’s comments but did not know the details surrounding the proposal and had not yet discussed it with the council.
Bay Harbour News reported in April the park had turned a corner after being in financial strife just six months earlier.
France said the park had continued to make strides in the right direction, driven by increased patronage and the success of various events.
“It’s been a tough turnaround but it’s progressing exactly where we’re wanting to be. I think the support shows we’re doing the right things,” he said.