18 January 2017

Call for community interest for Parks Week 2017

Rotorua Lakes Council is offering support to encourage local neighbourhood groups to organise Parks Week events in their communities this March.

Parks Week (March 4 to 12 this year) celebrates local parks and recreational areas through organised events and activities.

The council is inviting local groups to organise and register community events during Parks Week and take advantage of the free promotion space and funding grants on offer.

Council will support the community events by:

· Developing a free calendar to promote Parks Week events to the wider community

· Providing financial support through Council’s Neighbourhood Matching Fund

· Free use of resources from Council’s event equipment shed such as tables/chairs/cones

Ko Te Tuara Totara O Fordlands (Fordlands Residents Group) committee member Gina Royal says her community organisation has used the Neighbourhood Matching Fund twice now and is in the process of applying for another grant for Parks Week projects.

“The funding has helped pay for everything other than man power. One thing about Fordlands, we are never short of volunteers, so the grants were used on activities, resources, machinery, games and food.

“We have held a few neighbourhood fun days focusing on different themes like togetherness and ‘no to violence’. We also held a community clean-up day in the reserve and waterways,” she says.

“This funding has been invaluable for us to get all whānau (family), youth and tamariki (children) together.

“You cannot put a price on the moral values and changes this funding has achieved for Fordlands community. The dignity, pride and respect has grown from being part of these events.”

As well as many other neighbourhood projects the Neighbourhood Matching Fund has helped support 12 community gardens around the district.

Groups who want to get involved in Parks Week must register their interest by Friday 27 January 2017 by sending an email to community.events@rotorualc.nz.

To meet the funding criteria, Parks Week events must;

be located in a park or reserve in Rotorua;
focus on celebrating or promoting the park;
be open to the community;
be free to attend.
Ideas for Parks Week events

Park working bees
Art in the park
Kite flying
Community sports activities
Community fun days
Movies in the park
Dance, Yoga, Tai Chi
For more information contact Rotorua Lakes Council’s Community Events team on 07 348 4199 or via email to community.events@rotorualc.nz

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