Playgrounds, cycle tracks get biggest grants

A CROMWELL playground and Central Lakes cycle tracks have received the largest grants in the latest round of Central Lakes Trust (CLT) funding.

New playgrounds at the Big Fruit Reserve in Cromwell have received $125,000, and the Central Otago Queenstown Trail Network Trust’s completed tracks maintenance fund received $135,000.

CLT chief executive Susan Finlay said the playground project was significant.

‘‘As we move to higherdensity housing, the average section size has decreased, limiting the backyard space [and] making communal play areas all the more important.’’

The playground would be Cromwell’s seventh, and was part of the proposal to rejuvenate and repurpose the Big Fruit Reserve.

It would comprise a senior playground, between the minigolf course and half basketball court, and a junior play area on the opposite side of the half basketball court.

It would be a ‘‘destination playground, with different play items on offer than other spaces around Cromwell’’, Central Otago District Council parks and recreation manager Gordon Bailey said.

Other CLT grants awarded in the $311,500 September round of funding included $15,000 to the Arrowtown Charitable Trust for Arrowtown street lighting and an operational grant of $25,000 to Volunteering Central.

The NZ Communities Trust has also announced its latest $67,373 round of grants. The grants included $25,000 to Coastguard Queenstown towards the construction of new Coastguard Queenstown unit facilities.