A "gender neutral" community shed aims to tap into a wealth of skills available in Oamaru to benefit the community.
Oamaru businessman John Walker has come up with the idea to set up the Oamaru Community Shed where people can gather, socialise and use their skills on community projects, at the same time passing their skills on to younger people.
The idea is based on similar sheds - including two in Dunedin - set up in New Zealand and Australia and brings to fruition an idea he had about two years ago when he first read about blokes' sheds.
"I stowed the idea away, but now I have more time I'm able to get cracking on it," he said.
At the same time, plans to develop junior and senior playgrounds at the Oamaru Harbour Friendly Bay area, along with a proposal from Gloria Hurst to turn an old fishing boat into playground equipment emerged.
So the community shed's first project will be to work on the fishing boat, along with school children who are helping redesign it.
Mr Walker said the community shed had four objectives:
• To enable people to put into practice the knowledge and skills they had.
• Transfer skills between generations by teaching young people.
• Provide a place for people to gather and create projects or work on community projects.
• Bring elderly people together in a different environment.
Mr Walker said the idea was as much to give people a chance to socialise as use their practical knowledge to help others.
The Waitaki District Council had already made space available at the Te Mahi site at Oamaru Harbour (next to the rowing club) where a public meeting would be held at 2pm on September 24 to set up the community shed.
