Progress after Bulls crisis talks
Officials who were forced into crisis talks have received a welcome funding boost for the construction of the Bulls Community Centre.
The Rangitı¯kei District Council earlier this year delayed commissioning detailed drawings and specifications due to a $1 million shortfall.
However, the proposed facility has this month been given a $200,000 cash injection from the JBS Dudding Charitable Trust.
In May, chief executive Ross Mcneil said the council had sourced only 50 per cent of its external funding. But the council last month gave the green light to preparing detailed drawings and specifications. The project will be built on the site of the now demolished Criterion Hotel and will be used as an information centre, town hall, library and bus stop.
Rangitikei mayor Andy Watson said the latest grant gave the council confidence to progress with the project after a rocky few months.
‘‘A number of other applications submitted for this project have been turned down as they were not seen as regionally significant, so this funding boost is very welcome news. This grant now means we can confidently move ahead with the Bulls project.’’
An application to the Lotteries Significant Projects Fund – earmarked by the council as a key funding source – was denied earlier this month.
The Department of Internal Affairs, which administers the fund, said the council’s project did not demonstrate regional or national significance in the way the Hunterwasser Gallery in Whangarei or the Sergeant Gallery in Whanganui did.
Subsequent discussions with officials at the ministry led the council to submit a supplementary application to the Lotteries Community Facilities Fund to cover the shortfall. An application was also made to the Tourism Infrastructure Fund for $300,000. A decision is expected in November.
As part of its Annual Plan, the council asked the community to either support or vote against the centre, as well as the selling of council-owned land to fund it. About 200 submissions about the centre were received, with 150 in favour of construction and 47 against.
Submissions applauded the structure for its novel features and striking design, but drew criticism for its small footprint and poor use of ground space. Others were against the sale of the land.
The design was modified to provide a larger auditorium, a wider stage and more toilets, after an explosive public launch in August 2016.
The limited size initially proposed sparked calls for the council to go back to the drawing board to better meet the needs of the community. The cost of the revised facility is likely to be $4.36 million – $500,000 more than the original proposed concept.
The project will be built on the site of the now demolished Criterion Hotel and will be used as an information centre, town hall, library and bus stop.