Hamilton Gardens Receives $2.5 Million Lottery Grant

Plans to add another four concept gardens to Hamilton Gardens are now a step closer following a decision by the Lottery Significant Projects Fund Committee to grant $2.5m to Hamilton City Council for the project.

Hamilton Mayor Julie Hardaker described the announcement as fantastic news for Hamilton and recognition of the national importance of the gardens.

“This amount means we have three-quarters of the funding we need to complete the development project and we are on track to achieving our goal of completing four new concept gardens over the next three years,” she says. “This is a significant milestone for the gardens project and we are immensely grateful to the Lottery Fund for making this grant available.”

Mayor Hardaker says the Council has a plan in place to secure the remaining 25 per cent of the funding over the next year.

“Our fund raising efforts can now focus on the balance to be raised and this means we will continue to use a partnership approach. With the community’s support, we can get the funding over the next year.

“The Hamilton Gardens is a wonderful international success story for Hamilton and New Zealand and they will be even more fabulous once this project is completed within our timelines.”

The total cost of the gardens’ development is $7.03m. The Council’s contribution of $2.42m is funded by a targeted rate of $10, plus GST per property, per year, for four years.

The Lottery grant will be used towards the development of the Mansfield, Concept, Picturesque and the Surrealist Gardens, and the first stage of a car park extension.

The Hamilton Gardens development project also includes a destination playground, an information centre upgrade, three central courts to separate individual gardens, a jetty below the Italian Garden Renaissance pavilion to improve access to the gardens from the Waikato River and the installation of security cameras.

The Hamilton Gardens development is key component of the Hamilton Plan, which focuses on 10 priorities over the next decade which will collectively redefine Hamilton as a major New Zealand city. The gardens project also has strong links to the River Plan, which is a 30-year vision for the transformation of the Hamilton section of the Waikato River.

ENDS

© Scoop Media