Full steam ahead for development and restoration of Te Mata Park

Te Mata Peak Trust board chairman Mark Devonshire, and the trust's manager Emma Buttle stand in front of the 8ha they successfully crowdfunded for. Photo/ Paul Taylor.

The Te Mata Park Trust is working with various charitable trusts to secure $500,000 to develop and restore 8.5ha boughtthrough the "One Giant Chance" crowdfunding campaign.

The campaign raised a whopping $1.25m.

Trust manager Emma Buttle said the total project cost was $1,750,000, and having secured $1.25m, it now hoped to get another $500,000 to help fence the boundaries, get resource consent, buy 29,000 native trees and other work. "We intend to establish tracks, clear exotic trees off the land, assess sites of Māori significance; there are also costs involved with signs and fencing, and the cost of putting plants in the ground."

The trust had already secured $52,000 from local charitable trusts, she said.

Of that, $41,000 would be spent on signsthroughout the new land and existing park.

"We've got quite an eclectic signage in the park. We want to have a uniform and cohesive look. "We also want the park to be a place where school and youth groups can learn about the environment like the giant redwoods, the gallipoli pine, and we also intend to have a rongoā garden," which will comprise a wide range of Māori medicinal plants.

"We want to have discreet signage which will be in keeping with the rest of the park," Buttle said.

The trust had $1000 to go towards fencing, and $10,000 towards planting of native trees.

The projects were expected to start in October and November.

"We also have an application with a local charitable trust for $250,000, and will know the outcome by early October."

She said as the planting will happen over 2020 and 2021 planting seasons, some of the money won't be needed until next year.
"We are hoping for an early 2020 opening, contingent on funding being secured."

A draft concept plan will be available to on the Te Mata Park Trust website this week, she said.

"I would like to acknowledge the incredible support of the Hawke's Bay community.

"It's a very exciting time for us, and we are working hard behind the scenes. Our project governance group is working with the Hastings District Council and Hawke's Bay Regional Council to make sure we are ticking all the right boxes.

"We welcome questions and feedback."

To get in touch with Buttle, email info@tematapark.co.nz.