SPARC financial support for Lindvart Park initiative

The Lindvart Park Sport and Recreation Hub at Kaikohe has received a $340,000 SPARC grant over three years to assist with the development of the park as a multi-sport venue.

The grant will enable the hub management committee to employ a fulltime project manager to implement an Active Communities programme for the park and associated facilities.

This will include the establishment of a new group to work with the management committee to develop multi-sport programmes and to particularly target increased participation by adults and those in the 16 to 20-year-old group.

Kaikohe-Hokianga Community Board chair Win Stephens said today the grant would enable the development of universal programmes to encourage sport and recreation involvement.

"We have 18 acres in the middle of Kaikohe complete with parking which has been inadequately utilised in recent years. This is an opportunity to put this right.

"The intention is develop an umbrella trust or organisation which can coordinate all sporting and recreation groups whether already involved with the park or are potential future users.

"This will enable not only the better utilisation of facilities, but also will enable a coordinated approach to be taken to fund-raising and funding applications and to the development of programmes which will encourage wider community participation in sports and recreation activities at Kaikohe," he said.

The first year's grant of $140,000 is expected to be available within the next few weeks.