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January, 2023 A Queenstown charitable trusts asking for public support to helpit achieve a goal, almost four years in the making. The Whakatipu Community Hub Charitable Trust, set up in 2019, wants to provide sustainable, affordable and well-maintained meeting rooms and offices for the charity, social and community groups which support the Basin, and its communities. Chair John MacDonald says the project began when Queenstowns council and the trust identified the difficulties community organisations faced securing long-term, affordable office rental and co-working spaces. With ever-increasing rents and lack of suitable space, groups like Happiness House, Plunket and Queenstown Lakes Family Centre urgently need to find operational space thats both permanent and suitable, he says. The trusts modelling its concept on the successful Kollective, in Tauranga, and the Lofts, in Christchurch, and while its been a long time coming, thats enabled the trust to research whats needed in the resort. We are confident that with the input of the Queenstown community and social organisations, we can create something unique and right for our community. The trust worked to secure property, and after the council identified excess land it owns, behind Countdown at Five Mile and adjoining the Queenstown Events Centre, it submitted an expression of interest (EOI), which got an initial thumbs-up from councillors. Thats now out for public feedback, closing this Sunday. Desperately needed: Whakatipu Community Hub Charitable Trust chair John MacDonald The trusts seeking a lease over about 1.18 hectare for one day shy of 35 years, for $1 per annum. Its EOI says they plan to initially build three 900 square metre two-storey buildings, expected to cost about $16.2 million. Should the lease be granted, the trust will seek funding to cover the build cost, so users will only pay for running costs. Once those buildings reach capacity expected within the first five to 10 years a fourth is planned, adding a further 900sq m. Along with Happiness House, Plunket and Queenstown Lakes Family Centre, other proposed anchor tenants are Well South, Citizens Advice, Wakatipu Community Foundation and Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust. MacDonalds encouraging people to have their say on the proposal before feedback closes on Sunday. A council decision on the draft lease is expected early next month. Source: Mountain Scene
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