Representatives from Rotary, Ruapehu District Council, Manawa Energy and friends
gathered for the official opening of the new shelter at the Taumarunui Domain Playground.
The playground was opened by Councillor Lyn Neeson.
This project started just like any other – with an idea. That idea was inspired by a holiday in Australia where a local Rotarian spied a shelter and thought – maybe we need one of those. That idea grew into a proposal and with the backing of the Taumarunui Rotary Club that Rotarian started conversations with stakeholders – Council, iwi, engineers, building inspectors. A location was agreed and a design was drafted.
Rotary had some monies that it could use for this project but couldn’t afford the full cost of around $31,000. Rotary adopted a different approach to funding this project too. Instead of seeking free or heavily discounted help from local suppliers, it was decided to pay normal rates and bring monies into the district from funders. Some of those suppliers had had a lean couple of years. A couple of other Rotarians began the quest for funding. Rotary was successful in getting grants from the Rotary Foundation through Rotary District 9930, from Manawa Energy and from the Council Pride of Place Fund.
The Rotary Club fundraises during the year but most of its fundraising is allocated at the time of the event. An example of this is the Rotary Charity Golf Tournament. The club runs a tournament, gets sponsorships and the receiving charity sells afternoon tea. It’s a great event but the thousands raised net of costs are handed straight out to that charity. This year’s tournament is on 6 November and the charity is the Taumarunui Foodbank. This way of working means there aren’t many fundraising ventures to raise monies for the rotary bank account.
Once funding was secured we could start work. Materials were bought, a paddock for construction was volunteered and we went to work building the platforms. That work was interrupted by the weather and some supply constraints so it took a few months. Matrix Builders erected the posts and installed the concrete base. Another Rotarian acted as hammer hand and was there to be accountable should the measurements be wrong. The platforms were transported to site and fitted – yes, the measurements were bang on. A final working bee to erect the macrocarpa picnic tables and then organise the opening, pay the final bills and wipe our hands clean of another project. The Rotary Club is very grateful to Matrix Builders for fitting this work into its busy schedule and for the high standard of craftsmanship. It was also great to work with staff from Council who provided us with so much assistance without which you’d still be waiting.
The most gratifying feature of the whole project – to see it being used as we walked away having tidied up after the opening.
Rotary is an international organisation made up of thousands of Rotary Clubs of adult people of any gender or ethnicity. The Taumarunui Rotary Club presently meets weekly for a meal, conversation, business and to learn from a guest speaker. If you want to do good for the world and for our community give Tim Leahy a call on 0276334523.
Regards, Tim Leahy