The Waitaki Ski Club has received a welcome boost for its Awakino skifield as it prepares for the new season.
It received a $6000 grant from the Meridian Energy Waitaki community fund to replace its ageing tow rope at the skifield above Kurow, part of more than $77,000 distributed in the latest allocation from the fund.
The new tow rope came just in time for the 2012 winter season, which was a real relief, club secretary David Campbell said.
The grant would allow the club to continue providing community access to the mountains at an affordable price, he said.
Nine projects received funding, including $15,000 for a new on-demand transport service for Twizel and Tekapo.
Since the weekly bus service was cancelled, the less-mobile members of the two communities had "struggled to get around", Tekapo-Twizel Community Vehicle Trust chairman Graeme Palmer said.
Other projects supported in this round included.
-Glenavy Women's Institute $1670 (storage for archives, memorabilia, costumes and equipment); Glenavy Community Hall $8500 (reroofing the building); Aoraki Mackenzie Starlight Reserve Working Party $500 (International Starlight workshop at Aoraki, part of obtaining World Heritage status for the Mackenzie Country's night sky); Anglican Care South Canterbury $500 (to assist the Twizel Girls' Well-Being Club); Papakaio Netball Club $2180 (new uniforms and tracksuits); Kurow Golf Club $18,000 (greens mower); NZ Alpine Club Inc $20,000 (native planting and landscaping at Unwin Lodge, Aoraki Mt Cook).
The Meridian fund supports community development initiatives in the Waitaki Basin. More than $1.8 million had been granted to more than 200 local community projects over the past five years, including environmental conservation, volunteer emergency services, schools, local events, education programmes, and heritage restoration.
