Drive to complete skate park

As the new staged Queenstown Skate Park starts to take shape the council is backing a drive to complete the project in one hit.

“The project has been on the books for some time. The council has committed enough funding to complete the majority of the park, however a funding shortfall lies around the completion of the skate bowl with an additional price tag of $80,000,” Queenstown Lakes District Council community services committee chairman Leigh Overton said.

The park which is now being touted as New Zealand’s best skate park has already benefited from a major $200,000 commitment from the council, $55,000 from Central Lakes Trust, $25,000 from the Community Trust of Southland, $10,000 from the Caversham Foundation and $2000 from the Wakatipu Skateboarders Incorporated.

“We are working with the skate club to push for sponsorship from the business community to help close the funding gap,” Cr Overton said.

Queenstown skydiving company Nzone has picked up on the call for funding and committed $2000 to the project.

"Nzone is proud to be involved in assisting to fund the development of the new skate park, emphasis on recreational activities which cater to the needs of the youth within our community should be encouraged, we hope more businesses are keen to contribute to assisting with the funding of this project" says Robynne Williams, General Manager Nzone.

In addition the trustees of the Bill Torrance Charitable Trust agreed this week to make a grant of $5000 to the park.

“If others match that kind of commitment to the community then we will be able to proceed with the last stage,” Cr Overton said.

The completed skate park was likely to attract international competition. “Given the added attraction of the setting we are confident the park will attract a great deal of attention and sponsors will be visually acknowledged at the park,” Cr Overton said.

The park is scheduled to be completed by April, however if the funding can be found prior to April the bowl can be added extending the opening date by a month. “It would really be ideal to build the whole park in one hit,” he said. People could also go ‘on-line’ to make donations at www.queenstown.com  

Meanwhile work was continuing on the facility with features to be installed on the skate park towards the end of this month.