Sarah Hannan has previously led complex community and economic development projects, including the delivery of the $40 million Hawthorndale Care Village, in Invercargill, establishment of the Southland Foundation, and leadership of the Southland Regional Development Strategy.
Whakatipu Community Hub Charitable Trust chairman Hamish Wilton said the new role reflects the trust’s commitment to progressing the hub from "concept to reality".
"Right now, we need the capability and momentum that a dedicated general manager can bring," he says.
"We are entering a critical phase of the project, and this is exactly the right time to bring in Sarah’s expertise.
"Her proven ability to lead major projects, build strong partnerships and mobilise community support will be critical as we move forward."
Hannan’s role will focus on capital fundraising, stakeholder engagement and working closely with community organisations and Queenstown’s council to deliver a shared vision for the hub.
Wilton says as Queenstown continues to grow, the demand for accessible and more integrated delivery of social services is increasing.
The hub, he says, will bring together a range of services in one location, supporting a more efficient, sustainable model of delivery, while strengthening the social fabric of the community.
Hannan says it is a unique opportunity to work alongside the community to create something that will have a lasting impact.
"The hub is about enabling organisations to work more effectively together and ensuring people can access the support they need, when they need it."
The work now will include progressing to the next phase of the hub’s development, and working with community organisations, funders and stakeholders to bring it to life.
The trust was established in July, 2019, by the late John MacDonald around the time Queenstown’s council published a case study highlighting the dire situation many local voluntary organisations and service providers faced.
Issues include unaffordable rental rates on properties, occasionally with unsecure tenures, and a reliance on operational grant funding and fundraising to keep doors open — something that continues to get worse.
Last March, in MacDonald’s last interview before his death, he told Mountain Scene more funding was required before construction could begin.
At that stage, the trust had a $150,000 fundraising target.
The trust was planning to build the hub in stages — the first stage, as of July, 2024, was estimated to cost about $15 million — and ensure one of the buildings was capable of operating off-grid in the event of a major emergency or natural disaster.
