Regional Funding Boost for Regional Projects

Three major regional projects that should significantly benefit Hawke’s Bay had funding approved by Hawke’s Bay Regional Councillors at the Strategic Development and Finance Committee yesterday.

The funding under consideration was $2.5 million for the Sports Park Velodrome project (subject to the project proceeding), $500,000 for the Waipawa Town Hall refurbishment, and $2.5 million for the Hawke’s Bay Museum and Art Gallery building extension development.

“There is huge community benefit in all these projects and they should enrich the cultural, social and sporting aspects of our region even more. The Regional Council is pleased to be able to assist these projects to succeed, although this funding will effectively limit Council’s ability to support other significant community development projects for the next 3-5 years,” said Chairman Alan Dick.

These funding allocations from the Community Facilities Fund will need further public consultation next year as part of the Councils’ draft Annual Plan. Once fully agreed to, the funding would be allocated between now and 2012, as the projects proceed.

In addition to these three projects, funding of $100,000 was also approved to assist the 2011 Rugby World Cup project being run by Venture Hawke’s Bay.

Presentations were made to the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council committee yesterday (Tuesday) by Hastings District Council, Central Hawke’s Bay District Council and Napier City Council, with plans, DVDs and models being shown to Regional Councillors.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has confirmed that these projects are the main community projects under consideration for funding in the next few years. The Council is not aware of any other short term projects that would be restricted by a lack of funding from this Fund.

The Mayor of Wairoa, Les Probert, has provided Hawke’s Bay Regional Council with an expression of interest in which he asks that, even though the Wairoa District Council has no specific project that would make use of the Community Facilities Fund in the short term, a sum similar to that being provided to Central Hawke’s Bay District Council be allocated with view to funding in 2012/13.