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Last week I found myself driving through the Mackenzie Country on the way to Twizel, delivering impact reports to donors, cafes and community libraries.
As always, the scenery was breathtaking.
The turquoise waters of the alpine lakes, the mountain ranges stretching into the distance, and the vast open spaces all served as a reminder of how fortunate we are to live in this part of the world.
South Canterbury is blessed with an incredible landscape. Within a relatively short drive, we can move from rugged coastline to rolling farmland, from native bush to alpine mountains. It is a region that many people travel long distances to experience, yet for us it is simply home.
But as I reflected on the drive, I realised that what makes South Canterbury special extends well beyond its natural beauty.
On South Canterbury Anniversary Day, I took a quick mountain bike ride through Centennial Park. As I passed the pump track, I stopped to watch a group of young people taking turns, encouraging one another and challenging themselves. It struck me that this was another example of something we often take for granted.
Across South Canterbury we enjoy an extraordinary range of community facilities and attractions. From the Caroline Bay Aquatic Centre and Aorangi Stadium to CPlay, the Waimate Events Centre, the Tekapo Footbridge, walking tracks, sports grounds, playgrounds and community spaces, there is far more on offer here than many regions several times our size.
Occasionally I hear people say there is nothing to do in South Canterbury. I have never really agreed.
Our young people can play sport, swim, bike, explore nature, attend events, learn new skills and connect with others. Families have places to gather. Visitors have reasons to stay. Communities have places to come together.
The interesting thing is that none of these facilities happened by accident.
Behind almost every community asset is a story of local people who had an idea and refused to let it go. Often, they spent years building support, knocking on doors, raising funds, attending meetings and convincing others that their vision was worth backing.
There are volunteers who dedicated countless hours, businesses that provided support, funders who invested in a vision, and generous families who contributed because they believed South Canterbury would be better for it.
Many of these projects have taken years, sometimes decades, to bring to life. The finished facility is what we see, but behind it sits an enormous community effort.
In my role at the Aoraki Foundation, I have the privilege of seeing that generosity first-hand. Time and again I meet people who care deeply about this region and want to help build something that will benefit future generations.
Perhaps that is what makes South Canterbury such a special place to call home. We are surrounded not only by remarkable landscapes, but also by the legacy of people who believed their community was worth investing in.
The places we enjoy today did not simply appear. They were imagined, supported and built by generations of South Cantabrians who cared about the future.
Every time we swim in a pool, walk a track, attend an event or watch our children play, we are benefiting from their generosity and vision.
That is one of the many reasons South Canterbury is such a great place to call home.
* Richard Spackman is the chief executive of the Aoraki Foundation