FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hataitai Bowling Club becomes Community Hub

The assets (including land and buildings) of the Hataitai Bowling Club have been transferred into a community trust. The new Trust will manage these assets on behalf of the Hataitai Community.

The Hataitai Bowling Club recognised that membership was falling, and were unable to maintain the green for competitive bowling. The Club collaborated with the community to find an alternative to winding up, and selling the assets (most likely to property developers). The Hataitai Community Recreation Trust is the result of the this collaboration.

“This club has been part of the Hataitai Community for over a hundred years and we want to ensure that it is still servicing the community in a hundred more”, says Craig Harbour, president of the Hataitai Bowling Club. “Now we need people to tackle the challenges and opportunities that the Trust represents”.

Equal shares in the Trust have been allocated to the three organisations that developed the trust concept: The Bowling Club, Hataitai Residents Association, and the Community House.

“We have been provided with a fantastic opportunity to create a hub that supports the needs and interests of our community” says Anne Stevenson, Chair of the Hataitai Residents Association.

“The Bowling Club is often used for private, corporate and community events” says Jenny Ellis Hataitai Community House Coordinator, “Evening classes and monthly markets receive good patronage but we will need a regular income stream to maintain and meet the overheads.”

The new Trust also needs to raise money to get the building up to earthquake code. Additional investment will be needed to develop the asset further.

The Trust will be consulting with the community as a strategic plan is developed. Nominations are being sought for Directors of the Trust (governance) and for the day to day management committee (operational).

“We need people who are passionate about the Hataitai community to step up and be counted. This initiative will be only be successful and sustainable if people get involved,” says Craig.

ENDS

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