Martinborough’s pump track project has received a funding boost to the tune of $25,000 from the town’s community board.
The board, which met last week, also approved $10,000 for the Martinborough Golf Club clubhouse rebuild, $5000 for the Martinborough Squash Club’s clubroom upgrade, and $1249 for basketball hoops to be installed at Martinborough School.
The funding is from the Pain Farm Estate.
The Pain Farm land was bequeathed to the former Martinborough Borough Council by George Pain in 1932 to be used as “a sports ground for the residents of Martinborough and as a playground for the children”.
A 1966 court order approved the following scheme: “that the income of the trust lands should be used … in maintaining and improving the Borough’s parks, sports grounds, camping ground, swimming baths, providing, equipping and maintaining sports facilities
and a children’s playground in such manner and in such proportion as the council shall from time to time decide.”
At last week’s meeting, Martinborough Community Board member Mel Maynard said she is a huge supporter of the pump track, which
is expected to cost up to
$280k and will be built at Considine Park.
So far, more than $160k has been secured in donations towards the project.
Maynard said the track will be “a real positive for the community and our children in the community” but believed South Wairarapa District Council [SWDC] needs to support the project as well as the board.
South Wairarapa councillor Aidan Ellims, who is also a Martinborough Community Board member, said the pump track will be “a great asset”, and he was pleased the board could approve funding for the community-driven initiative via the Pain Farm fund.
He was, however, “disappointed and frustrated” that previous councils had provided funding for other initiatives before community groups had raised money themselves.
Greytown’s Open Space and Wheels Park, for example – which is expected to cost $3 million – has “seed funding” from the council to the tune of $1m, with the balance to be raised by the community.
The Greytown project is expected to cost approximately $3m.
Councillor and Board member Pip Maynard expressed her “disappointment” that SWDC had not given the Martinborough Pump track project funding.
“I just want to put my disappointment that [SWDC] won’t come to the table when it comes to things in Martinborough and that Martinborough is expected to do all the fundraising.”
SWDC has allowed the pump park to be constructed on the council-owned land at Considine Park, and funded a new toilet block at the park. -NZLDR
Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
