Foundation partners acknowledged
The ‘cornerstone’ contributions made by BayTrust and the Eastern Bay Energy Trust to Whakatāne’s new Library and Exhibition Centre have been permanently acknowledged in the naming of the facility’s meeting room spaces.
The centre’s completion group Chairman, Whakatāne District Councillor David Dowd, says the Trusts’ support played a major role in giving the Council the confidence to proceed with the project.
“Right at the beginning of the fundraising process, BayTrust provided a $250,000 grant towards the overall cost of developing Te Kōputu a Te Whanga a Toi and the Energy Trust underwrote the centre’s lighting, climate control and electrical systems with a $120,000 contribution,” he says. “Compared to the other spaces which sponsors have received naming rights for, the meeting rooms are small. But their import is large and the Trusts’ names will be permanently attached to them.”
Mr Dowd says the meeting rooms and other spaces within the Library and Exhibition Centre will be made available for the Trusts’ use. “That’s both a small, but highly symbolic token of our gratitude, and recognises the significant contributions BayTrust and the Eastern Bay Energy Trust continue to make to the District’s wellbeing,” he concludes.
EBET Chair Kevin Hennessy says the Trust is pleased to have been able to contribute to the Whakatāne Library and Exhibition Centre’s development. “This wonderful facility is a very good example of what can be achieved through partnerships, and is one of several community projects where EBET and the Whakatāne District Council have worked together to achieve major benefits for ratepayers, who are also EBET’s beneficiaries,” he says.
BayTrust Chair, Mary Dillon, says the Trust is delighted to have partnered with the Whakatāne community in the development of the library and exhibition spaces. “What a great project. Whakatāne people should be very proud of the creativity and presentation of their vision. We are sure that this new facility will be an ongoing source of inspiration and learning.”