“The situation in the community is dire. Few organisations have long term secure tenure and as land values rise they find themselves pushed out, at a time when their services are most needed. We have an ambitious goal of sod turning by 2025 and for that we need to attract widespread support.”
history
In May 2019, the Whakatipu Community Hub Charitable Trust (WCHCT) was set up to address an increasingly pressing need to create a space for community services and groups.
By August 2019, with the generous financial support of Mitchell Mackersy Lawyers and Diana & Dick Hubbard, Consultants Martin Jenkins were engaged for a feasibility study. Discussions started with several key stakeholders including services that may wish to be included, potential funders, community groups who may want to be part of it, and the Queenstown Lakes District Council.
One major hurdle was to find suitable land and the Trustees worked hard behind the scenes to progress the concept into a reality.
At the same time , members of the Trust visited similar initiatives throughout New Zealand – all of which are highly successful and continued the engagement with the community groups to find ways to work together to provide efficiencies and synergies through hot desks, shared office and meeting space infrastructure as well as ideas and initiatives.
By early 2023 the Trust successfully secured a 35 year lease from QLDC for land situated at 3 Murchison Road, Frankton comprising of 1.4hectares.
In May 2023, the Trustees stepped up stakeholder engagement for potential users to help with the project design and in Nov 2023 the Architects Wingates presented the first conceptual designs to this group.
See our milestones and timeline
Update Jan 2024
Where are we at?
The task ahead
Funding is currently underway to support the next stage:
This stage is where structual engineers, geotech engineers and acoustic engineers are involved and the process can take between 6-9 months.
This is critical for detailed plans to be developed and for building consent to be applied for.
Subject to funding, once building consent is granted the construction phase will commence.
Making it happen
Funding Strategy
To meet this challenge, WCHCT has been working with charitable trusts, philanthropic organisations, individuals, corporate donors, and community fundraising.
The project has secured funding from the Central Lakes Trust and the wider Queenstown Community to make the concept a reality.
However if you want to be involved or ‘pitch in’ , please contact the Trust
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