Canterbury Community Trust injects $444,283 into Marlborough

Canterbury Community Trust injects $444,283 into Marlborough Region in latest funding round

The community and economic development sector along with environmental issues featured strongly on the agenda for The Canterbury Community Trust’s latest funding round, with the Marlborough region benefitting to the tune of $444,283.

“We are seeing a real trend towards collaboration by applicants to get projects moving, which is particularly pleasing to us as it is one of the cornerstones of the Trust’s philosophies - the idea that our stakeholders can come together for the delivery of service and maximise return for their community,” says Louise Edwards, Chief Executive of The Canterbury Community Trust.

One project that stood out as an initiative which champions the principles of collaboration and provides a legacy for the Marlborough region is the Link Pathway. The Link Pathway project is building a walking, cycling and running track aimed at linking the communities between Havelock and Picton, including from Anakiwa and from there accessing Ship Cove.

“The Canterbury Community Trust has committed $73,000 over the next twelve months to support the work on the pathway link from Picton to Ngakuta Bay, which is on top of $10,000 provided as seed funding in 2013. This project stood out to Trustees as a community-based, community-led initiative that has involved a significant number of volunteers who are keen to see this project come to fruition. We believe it will not only benefit its local communities but will also provide significant returns through tourism for the region,” says Ms Edwards.

Link Pathway Trust Chairman, David Brown, says that LP Trust was very grateful for the funding. “Last week was a double whammy for us – we received the wonderful news about our funding from The Canterbury Community Trust and were also granted our resource consent towards building the remaining sections of the 42 km walking and cycling track.”

The funding and the resource consent approvals ensured work by professional digger operators on the next phase of track-building was able to commence last week.

Co-founder and co-cordinator Rick Edmonds said the Link Pathway Trust’s goal is to link Picton to the existing Queen Charlotte Track by mid-2017 and through to Havelock by 2019. A 2020 celebration is already planned to mark this achievement, alongside the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook’s Endeavour anchoring at Ship Cove in Queen Charlotte Sound.

“The project’s success has been underpinned by the fact that most of the work has largely been undertaken by volunteers in communities along the route with an ongoing commitment to building, then maintaining ‘their’ section of the Pathway. It is anticipated the Pathway will attract 20,000 cyclists and walkers a year”, says Mr Edmonds.

Earlier this year the Marlborough District Council allocated $75,000 each year for the next four years.

Marlborough Mayor, Alastair Sowman, says the Pathway offered multiple benefits for the Marlborough region, building tourism while capturing conservation, heritage, recreation, business and community values.

Marlborough Chamber of Commerce CEO Hamish MacFarlane echoes these sentiments stating that benefits from the Pathway will flow beyond Havelock and Picton. The boost to tourism as a result is estimated in the millions for the Marlborough region.

www.commtrust.org.nz

ENDS

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