Concert cash boost for pavilion fit-out
Last month’s Bee Gees and Queen covers concert at Western Avenue in Ōmokoroa raised $11,000 towards the sports pavilion under construction at the sports fields - generously boosted by a philanthropic donation of $50,000 from Wayne and Chloe Wright.
The treasurer of the Ōmokoroa Sports and Recreation Society, Dennis Cresswell, says the organisers are happy with the outcome for several reasons.
“That’s a lot of sausage sizzles. Most people enjoyed the music and we’ve had some very positive feedback as well as a few things to improve for next time, such as more lighting around the trees later at night, which we will do.”
Crowd-pleasing Tauranga band Coupe De Ville returned from last year, following on from the opening Tauranga Boys’ and Ōtūmoetai College bands.
Dennis says concert profits were down on last year as a result of higher costs, including having to hire a sound system which was included by last year’s Fleetwood Mac cover band, Dreams.
There was also a $2,000 investment in a 10-year resource consent, which will benefit the next nine years of concerts expected to be held to pay for pavilion maintenance.
Another additional cost was hiring a bouncy castle as a District Council requirement to provide family entertainment.
Money raised will go towards fixtures, fittings and furnishings for the $1.6m complex, which will also be an interim home for the relocated Council library and service centre.