12 August 2008

Funding from Lottery a big win for Porirua arena

A grant of up to $2.9 million from the Lottery Significant Projects Fund will allow Porirua City Council to complete the construction of the new Te Rauparaha Arena.

“Porirua’s Te Rauparaha Arena must be feeling like it has just won Lotto three weeks in a row. Lottery funding makes a big difference to our communities, made possible by fellow New Zealanders continuing to support Lotto.”

“This new arena will not only host community, regional and national sporting events, it will be able to meet the wider needs of the Porirua community,” said Lottery Grants Board Presiding Member Rick Barker.

“In addition to sport, it will provide opportunities for the expression of Māori, Pacific Island, and the many other cultures in this region through the arts, music and dance.”

The arena will have a three-court main stadium with 2000 seats, a separate one-court auditorium and warm up gym, meeting rooms, a lecture theatre and a dance studio.

The total cost for the Te Rauparaha Arena project will be $17.5 million. It is part of the Porirua cultural complex, which includes Pataka Museum of Arts and Cultures, Porirua Library, Porirua Aquatic Centre and Te Rauparaha Park.

“The new arena will be a huge benefit to the surrounding communities and the whole region” said Mana Member of Parliament Luamanuvao Winnie Laban, who has expressed her support for this worthwhile project.

The Lottery Significant Project Fund provides opportunities for the development of projects that are of benefit at the wider community, regional or national level.

The Fund is for projects that have received funding from other sources, including from the community, but are still unable to raise sufficient money to complete the project.

Funding is to complete large community capital expenditure projects costing at least $1 million in total.

Projects must contribute to one or more of the outcome areas of arts, culture and heritage, sport and recreation, conservation and the environment.

The New Zealand Lottery Grants Board has allocated $16 million for distribution to significant projects in 2008/09.

Projects were assessed and will meet good practice project management, governance and financial sustainability standards and requirements.

Funding decisions are made by the Lottery Significant Projects Distribution Committee.

Lottery funds come from the profits of the NZ Lotteries Commission. The NZ Lottery Grants Board is an independent decision making body. It sets policy and allocates funds to be distributed by Distribution Committees.

For more information on Lottery grants see www.dia.govt.nz or www.cdgo.govt.nz.

ENDS

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