A $250,000 grant towards the $2.2million playground was confirmed this week.
The Community Trust of Mid and South Canterbury’s grant means the CPlay committee has just $500,000 to go before hitting the $2.2million target for the destination playground at Caroline Bay.
CPlay chairman Owen Jackson said it was fantastic to get the total amount applied for from the trust.
"We are genuinely so humbled and appreciative of the support that they have given us."
The committee had previously applied for funding from the trust, but was asked to make some improvements to governance and financial structures and resubmit the application.
"We couldn’t be happier. This will be an absolute asset for the community.
"We will still need generous support from the community. The job isn’t over — there’s still a lot of money to be raised and we need the community to support it.
"But this is definitely an early Christmas present for us, and sets us up really well for next year.
"We want to keep this on target, and on track to make sure that next summer we will have an amazing playground down there."
The committee still had applications for $150,000 in with both Pub Charity Ltd and the Lion Foundation, he said.
Community trust chief executive officer Liz Shea said the grant to CPlay was the biggest given in this latest funding round, and the trust was happy to support it.
"It’s good for the community, and we know from other communities with playgrounds like this, they attract a lot of people."
The trust hoped by supporting the project, it might help encourage other funding bodies to come on board, Mrs Shea said.
