Rotorua Lakes Council is encouraging local neighbourhood groups to organise Parks Week events in their communities.
Parks Week will run from March 4 to 12 and celebrates parks and recreational areas through organised events and activities.
Ideas for events include working bees, art in the park, kite flying, movies in the park and yoga.
The council will support the community events by developing a free calendar to promote Parks Week events to the wider community, providing financial support through the council's Neighbourhood Matching Fund and the free use of resources from the council's event equipment shed such as tables, chairs and cones.
Ko Te Tuara Totara O Fordlands (Fordlands Residents Group) committee member Gina Royal said her community organisation had used the Neighbourhood Matching Fund twice and was applying for another grant for Parks Week projects.
"The funding has helped pay for everything other than manpower. One thing about Fordlands, we are never short of volunteers, so the grants were used on activities, resources, machinery, games and food.
"We have held a few neighbourhood fun days focusing on different themes like togetherness and 'no to violence'. We also held a community clean-up day in the reserve and waterways," she said.
"This funding has been invaluable for us to get all whanau [family], youth and tamariki [children] together.
"You cannot put a price on the moral values and changes this funding has achieved for Fordlands community. The dignity, pride and respect has grown from being part of these events."
As well as many other neighbourhood projects the Neighbourhood Matching Fund has helped support 12 community gardens around the district.
Groups who want to get involved must register their interest by Friday, January 27 by emailing community.events@rotorualc.nz.
To meet the funding criteria, events must be in a park or reserve in Rotorua, focus on celebrating or promoting the park, be open to the community and be free to attend.
For more information contact Rotorua Lakes Council's community events team on 07 348 4199 or email community.events@rotorualc.nz