16-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Clubhouse funding shortfall
Whakatipu Rowing Club's almost-completed two-level clubhouse overlooking Lake Hayes. PHOTO: PHILIP CHANDLER
Whakatipu Rowing Club's $800,000 clubhouse redevelopment project has struck some ripples.
The club, in the final throes of replacing its Lake Hayes rowing shed with a two-level facility including upstairs meeting room, kitchen and viewing balcony, needs about $150,000 more to complete the project, despite having had a huge amount of community support already.
President Amy Wilson-White explains the shortfall's caused by two factors.
The first is extra costs incurred for an accessible carpark and ramp, fire egress at the end of the balcony and unexpected costs to stabilise the foundations.
"Those things have added at least $100,000 to the bill," she says.
The second factor is a couple of funding blows.
They'd confidently asked for $200,000 from Lottery Grants Board, only to receive nothing, and had asked for $75,000 from Community Trust South, but only received $10,000.
To make up the shortfall, Wilson-White says any funding would be welcome, such a 'buy a brick' donation in return for permanent recognition on the building.
She thinks many businesses might like to book the venue for workshops and corporate team building — there's capacity for 125 people. "I would argue it's the best view in Queenstown, it's brand new and it's something different."
She's also appealing for any builder with spare time on their hands who'd like to help out — Lakes Building Co, for example, recently contributed two weeks' voluntary labour in a break between jobs.
Wilson-White says completion's due late next month or July — "we're not that far behind schedule".
Meanwhile, two Wakatipu High rowers who won each won two golds at the Maadi Cup secondary schools regatta in March have won national selection. Seb Watson's in a New Zealand development team going to the United States in July and Harry Lightfoot's competing for NZ at the under-19 World Cup in Lithuania in August.
