Council loan agreed to help Oxford fitness centre grow
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
The Waimakariri District Council has agreed to loan $200,000 so the Oxford Health and Fitness Centre Trust can start a 153m2 expansion of its facility at Pearson Park.
The existing 322 square metre building is owned by the trust, which leases the community fitness centre to the North Canterbury Sport and Recreation Trust to run.
The expansion will support the fitness centre’s growing membership, which now exceeds 400, trust chairperson Tim Fulton said.
The trust has already raised $55,000 and has a contractor lined up for the build, which is expected to cost $283,000.
It had applied to the Rata Foundation for funding but was unsuccessful.
‘‘The facility is well-used and needs more space, so we feel the risk is relatively low,’’ the council’s community and recreation general manager Chris Brown said.
‘‘The worst case scenario is, if the trust is wound up, the building will pass over to the council and we will have a good community asset.’’
The council will borrow the money on the trust’s behalf, with the trust paying it off over 10 years at an interest rate of 4.65% to cover the council’s costs, Brown said.
Responding to a question at last week’s council meeting, chief executive Jeff Millward said the council was well within its self-imposed borrowing limit of 250% of its rates revenue.
‘‘We could borrow another $150 million and still be within our limit.’’
The council’s debt is about $200m, around 150% of its rates revenue, with a large chunk of it being due to borrowing $100m to repair and replace assets following the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes.
The North Canterbury Sport and Recreation Trust manages five fitness centres in Rangiora (two), Kaiapoi and Amberley, as well as the Oxford facility.
The proceeds are used to fund community programmes such as sports coaching in schools and initiatives to help people improve their health.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Poll: Are our Kiwi summer holidays helping us recharge, or holding the economy back? ☀️🥝
There’s growing debate about whether New Zealand’s extended Christmas break (and the slowdown that comes with it) affects productivity.
Tracy Watkins has weighed in ... now it’s your turn. What’s your take? 🤔
-
73.2% We work hard, we deserve a break!
-
16% Hmm, maybe?
-
10.8% Yes!
Secure your homes over summer
Police are reminding people to keep their homes secure during the summer months.
Inspector Glenda Barnaby, Christchurch Area Prevention manager, says daytime burglaries are just as common as nightime burglaries.
“Burglaries can be committed at any time of the day, and coming into warmer months there is more opportunity for thieves."
"Although a majority of burglaries involve forced entry through windows and doors, we are starting to see more incidents at insecure premises. Police deal with cases where burglaries are committed in broad daylight, sometimes even while the victim is at home. Good weather means open doors and windows, which makes homes more vulnerable to burglars.”
Inspector Barnaby says there’s a few things people can do to reduce their changes of a burglary being committed.
⚠️ If you’re going outside for gardening, relaxing in the sun, or working in the garage, take a moment to lock your doors and secure your windows first.
⚠️ Do the same at night when you go to bed - keep your doors and windows secure and close your curtains. Fitting window stays means you can get a breeze coming through, while keeping your windows secure.
⚠️ Get to know your neighbours - let them know if you’re going away and look out for one another.”
If you see any suspicious activity, people or vehicles in your neighbourhood, don't hesitate to contact Police.
If you witness or suspect any illegal activity, please call 111 if it is happening now, or make a report through 105 either online or over the phone, if it is after the fact.
Poll: Pedestrian access is being extended to the Ōtakaro Avon River - good idea?
Pedestrian access from one of Christchurch’s favourite streets is being extended all the way to the Ōtakaro Avon River. This new 12m-wide pathway will give you a direct, easy route from the street to the river promenade ... perfect for a stroll, a coffee run, or just soaking up the riverside vibes.
We want to know: In your view, what makes a city people-friendly?
What else should our urban areas be doing to support better community connections?
Curious about the full plans? You can check them out here.
-
90.9% Yes
-
9.1% No
Loading…
