The grant, to the Salvation Army, will go towards its new 783sqm purpose-built facility at Frankton’s Remarkables Park, in which the charity will operate all its services from the ground floor, and social services it works with will be based on the first floor, along with an auditorium.
It was one of 15 grants, totalling $620,075, approved at a CLT meeting just before lockdown.
Salvation Army regional relationships manager Jade Zeina, of Christchurch, said the organisation was ‘‘over the moon’’ with the funding.
‘‘This puts us very close to our funding goal, having raised a total of $8.4million of the $9.4million build.’’
Trust grant manager Mat Begg said that before Covid-19, Queenstown’s Salvation Army was already dealing with increased demand — last year it had a 300% increase, hundreds of those people using its services for the first time.
Mr Begg said the purpose-built facility would make the Salvation Army’s service delivery ‘‘more streamlined’’.
Ms Zeina said extensive consultation was done before the Remarkables Park site — where office space will be provided below market rate — was selected.
‘‘Massive growth in the district’s population over the past 12 years has seen a shift in population from the central area of Queenstown to the Frankton area.
‘‘This means locating the hub at Frankton just makes sense.’’
The grant from the trust would be instrumental in helping complete the fit-for-purpose social wellbeing hub on the first floor, meaning the money would not only help the Salvation Army, but other organisations struggling with high rental prices, too.
‘‘Together, we will be able to deliver a holistic approach to community care for generations.’’
The building will also house a multi-purpose room for community groups to run workshops and classes, and a smaller meeting room for things such as video conferences.
The hub’s design would also include an auditorium with capacity for up to 150 seated guests, to be used for small-scale drama or music productions.
It would also feature movable staging, a quality sound and lighting system and modern kitchen.’’
Its inclusion stemmed from a Queenstown Lakes District Council quality of life survey, which identified a lack of community halls and spaces in the region.
Ms Zeina said the auditorium would go ‘‘some way’’ to helping that.
A guaranteed against loss grant of $60,000 was approved for Warbirds Over Wanaka, while other grants approved this month included $50,000 for the Wao Wao Summit 2021; $32,000 for the Central Otago District Council — Property Alexandra theatre stage upgrade project; $23,136 for Remarkables Primary’s playground upgrade; and $10,000 for the Alzheimer’s Society Otago Central Otago’s vehicle.
Among those to get operational grants were the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust ($28,900), and the Central Otago Heritage Trust oral history programme ($9000).
