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Moutere Hills Community Centre Celebrates 5 years

Moutere Hills Community Centre Celebrates 5 year Milestone


Moutere Hills Community Centre is to mark its five year anniversary by throwing a big ‘thank you’ party for the community that has made it possible and helped it grow.

The centre turns five this month and is holding an open invitation birthday party on Friday October 22nd from 5.30pm to celebrate its many successes since it was opened in 2005.

The much-admired building and grounds has seen a 110% rise in use since it first opened its doors in 2005 and now close to a 1000 people come to regular activities at the centre every week. What began with just volleyball and badminton has mushroomed into around 30 scheduled activities each week - a balanced mix of sporting, cultural, recreational and social activities. That doesn’t include about 12 weddings each year, 5 major corporate events, various school and fundraising activities and of course, the now famous Sarau Festival.

Centre Manager Michelle MacNeil says it’s been a busy but hugely rewarding five years.

“I’ve seen the community really step in to embrace this facility as their own. There’s a lot of love that’s gone into this place. I often get people telling me they’re so proud of this centre and they can’t imagine living somewhere else without it. It’s become a true heart for Upper Moutere and the surrounding area.”

Michelle says the first week in the job, she and Way2Go co-ordinator Vanessa Mairs decided to go out into the community and asked people what they wanted to see happening at the centre.

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“It was our goal to make it relevant to the needs of local people. The community had put a lot of effort into the fundraising and we wanted them to say what kinds of activities they’d like the centre to offer.”


“Tuesday nights to me are the epitomy of what this centre is all about it’ s phenonmenal down here, you’ve got tennis on the courts, guitar lessons, touch out on the field, hip-hop in the gym and meetings in the meeting rooms – it feels like a real hub of the community.”


The Moutere Hills Community Centre is supported by Tasman District Council, Way2Go, Lotteries Commission and COGS. Tasman District Mayor Richard Kempthorne says the Moutere Hills Community Centre has been a great example of community involvement and ownership.

"This centre is an example of community will and energy delivering a legacy for the future. Not only was it built within budget with a large local fundraising component as well as the council contribution, it was also completed earlier than scheduled, showing the commitment and dedication of this community. Communities like this are what makes Tasman special and unique."

Moutere Hills Community Centre Board Chairman Steve Mitchell has been involved right from the start. As chairman of the Rangers Rugby Football Club when and where the concept was first considered, he has been a key driver of the establishment and development of the centre.

"I'm extremely proud of what the Moutere Hills community has achieved. This centre is setting the standard in many ways and you can see by the numbers of people and range of activities offered that it's now a true community asset. To have the use and provision grow so much in these initial five years has been very rewarding and the future looks even more exciting. There's still a lot of potential for the centre."

"From the Rangers point-of-view, it's been great to bring alongside other codes, we now have football and softball playing under the name of Rangers and in our club colours.

The concept of multi-codes operating from one facility; to bring an economy of scale to the provision of services, is a core value of the SPORTSVILLE concept, the support from the local and wider community and from the Tasman District Council has been extremely humbling and crucial to the success of this excellent facility,” says Steve Mitchell.

For Michelle MacNeil the anniversary celebrations will have mixed emotions as she moves on soon to take up a new role as General Manager of Whenua Iti Outdoors in Lower Moutere.

“I’m looking forward to being involved with the Moutere Hills Community Centre on the other side of the fence. Having my family participate in the activities and coming along to the community events. I feel very proud of what we’ve achieved and I don’t want to lose touch with the Centre. MHCC is now ready for someone else’s energy to come and carry it further.”

Another milestone this month is the folding of the initial trust that was formed 10 years ago, to get the concept of a new community centre underway and oversee the construction. The money left in their funding account to cover construction of the new entrance and to set up stage rigging and lighting has been handed over to the board that runs the Centre.

The entranceway is a final part of the construction concept as it helps with visibility and it formalises the entrance to what is also the war memorial. Once the new entrance has been finished the original gate plaque from the old domain will be restored and mounted near the entrance, keeping the history of the old domain to the fore.

Brickfield Ltd Tim Edwards is a local resident who has shown his community spirit by building the walls for a heavily discounted rate.

Michelle MacNeil says that spirit of donation has been vital to the growth of the centre.

“In the past year about $25,000 worth of donated hours have been given to this centre. To me that shows how much this community values the centre.”

The 5th birthday celebration is to be held on Friday October 22nd from 5.30pm. It’s a family event with a giant birthday cake, delicious food available and the bar will be open with local beers and wines. There will also be entertainment from the Tasman Karaoke Superstar heat, displays from user groups and a bouncy castle.


“We would love it if everyone who has used or contributed to the Moutere Hills Community Centre can come and join in the celebrations. We want to thank the community for everything they’ve done.”

ENDS

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