Makara School first beneficiary of wind farm fund

Makara School first major beneficiary from wind farm fund

For immediate release:

Makara Model School has been the major beneficiary of the first round of funding by the Meridian West Wind Community Fund, receiving a grant of $15,800 for heating for the school pool.

The heating system will enable the pool to be used for longer by both the school and the community.

School principal Gail Dewar says the school is thrilled to be able to make the pool more accessible to its children and the wider community.

“Learning to swim and being confident in the water are invaluable skills and we will be better equipped to teach the children when the water temperature is at a comfortable level. We also hope to extend the time we are able to run our swimming programme because the pool temperature will be constant.

“As a seaside community we have a strong commitment to teaching our children to swim and we are very appreciative of the support we have been given to do so.”

The funding panel also approved a grant of $12,000 to allow the Karori Golf Club to develop an existing area of reclaimed land into a mini-golf (mini-putt) course.

However, this funding is conditional on the golf club establishing an operating relationship with the Makara Model School with regards to providing lessons, coaching and/or course access to students.

A third grant of $7390 was approved for the Makara Community Centre Association to replacing old fridges and a freezer with two new glass fronted chillers.

The chair of the panel, Meridian Market and Production General Manager Neal Barclay says the projects approved for funding will deliver a lasting benefit to the wider Makara community.

“This fund has been established to recognise our partnership with a community where one of our generation facilities is located, and it is pleasing to be able to support initiatives which are of value to the people there.”

A total of $200,000 is available to be distributed to projects which meet the funding criteria over the next three years.

Meridian has established similar funds in its other generation communities such as the Waitaki Valley, Te Anau-Manapouri, Te Apiti, and White Hill.

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