NEWS RELEASE
5 June 2007

Mayor welcomes Government funding for Sanctuary

“It’s fantastic news for Wellington, especially on World Environment Day.”

That was the reaction from Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast to the Government’s announcement today that it will contribute up to $6.5 million from its Significant Community Based Projects Fund to a Visitor and Education Centre at Karori Wildlife Sanctuary.

“This funding is critical for the development and sustainability of the Sanctuary. The Visitor and Education Centre will ensure that New Zealand’s ecological heritage is preserved through the passing on of knowledge and wisdom to future generations. That’s important for the future of our city and our country,” Mayor Prendergast says.

Ms Prendergast says the award-winning Karori Sanctuary is a stunning jewel in Wellington’s crown and a wonderful Wellington asset.

“It’s a unique natural environment and an oasis of tranquility in the middle of a bustling capital city. Many Wellingtonians have worked extremely hard on this project, donating thousands of hours of voluntary time and money, and their efforts have now been rewarded with this announcement today,” Mayor Prendergast says.

Wellington City Council approved an $8 million interest-free loan to the Sanctuary for the Visitor and Education Centre in 2006. The loan is to be paid back over 25 years.

Ms Prendergast says the addition of the Centre to the Sanctuary, which recently won the Dominion Post Green Gold Award recognising businesses with positive sustainable practices and programmes, and has been highly rated in The Lonely Planet Guide, means it will now attract visitors to Wellington in its own right and become a commissionable product.

“We know there are thousands of tourists who will come to Wellington particularly to visit the Sanctuary. In fact the Sanctuary estimates that the Visitor and Education Centre will attract 190,000 visitors a year. That’s great for the Sanctuary but fantastic for Wellington and for the local economy,” she says.

ENDS

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