Oamaru contractor De Geests started work on the centre in the Lakes Centre at the corner of State Highway 83 and West Rd in June and this week put the finishing touches to the project, paid for by fundraising by the Otematata Residents Association.
Treasurer Graeme Sullivan said the idea of a new centre came from a community-vision seminar, which suggested buying the Otematata School property after it closed in 2004. The community missed out on the school, but the Waitaki District Council bought the two-storeyed former ECNZ building on its 1.4568ha site for just over $1 million in March 2006, with the intention of turning part of it into a community centre for Otematata.
Since then, the council has redeveloped the ground floor of the eastern end of the building, turning it into a shop, cafe and the town's library. It has plans for the upper storey. It has also created a car-park, new access, and landscaped the grounds.
The plan included the residents' association leasing the western portion of the building - the former ECNZ store with two offices - and turning it into a community centre.
Mr Sullivan said most of that end of the buildings was open space. Now, it has been transformed into a hall with a mezzanine floor that will become a fully equipped gymnasium/fitness centre with $40,000 of new equipment bought by the Sports Club through its own fundraising.
The centre includes a fully stocked kitchen with crockery, cutlery and glasses for up to 150 people. Toilets and storerooms have also been created.
Mr Sullivan expects the centre will have a wide range of uses, from headquarters for sports events, to functions, meetings, conferences and social events.
"A lot of local people at the wedding [of Linda Paterson and Peter Read] will see the centre for the first time and how it can be used," he said.
Ahuriri Community Board chairman Craig Dawson said the development of the centre showed community foresight.
"It was a great effort to raise all the funds needed for the project," he said.
The community has contributed about $200,000 to the project, the rest coming from grants from the Otago Community Trust, Meridian Energy Ltd, Southern Trust, NZ Lotteries Board, Alexander McMillan Trust and the Oamaru Licensing Trust's Charitable Foundation.
Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton will officially open the centre on April 3 at 11am.
