Donor or Purchaser: As Good Intentions Turn into a Nightmare
A project that started with great community intentions has quickly turned into a nightmare. The Loons, with the help of Pete Evans, secured precious community earthquake funding from Project Lyttelton to purchase a cover for an outdoor stage. The cover enabled the very successful production of Macbeth to take place in Lyttelton for the Arts Festival. All was going well, the stage was erected and the show played on. The bills were paid and then the show finished at the end of September.
Project Lyttelton and Pete Evans were both keen to enable Lyttelton to maintain this temporary stage so that more shows could be performed and the community would have another focal point until The Loons could reopen. Money raised by the Matakana Market for Lyttelton earthquake recovery was earmarked for more live performances in Lyttelton, and so this money was allocated to keep the structure going.
We all hoped the stage could remain and the shows could continue on.
We all hoped the stage could remain and the shows could continue on.
Thats when the red tape started to get in the way. No longer was the stage considered a temporary structure. A building permit, structural engineering report, fire reports, inspections etc were new requirements from the council. Our desire to keep shows rolling was stalled.
Too expensive, time consuming and frustrating. Two weeks ago the decision was made to sell the stage cover and just wind the site up. Two weeks of Trade Me later, there is still no buyer, but the debts keep mounting. Unless a buyer or a donor can be found we are going to have to use vital community funding to pay off the structure. Is there anyone out there who would like to help, or a community, or project that has need of such a structure? It can readily be
reconstructed in a day. It will already be deconstructed and can be picked up with a normal trailer.
Please contact Pete Evans 021 328 707 or Wendy Everingham 021 047 6144 if you can help the Lyttelton Community out.
How sad that the council put all this 'red tape' upon your community. I wish they would think 'outside the box' occasionally.
ReplyDeleteHow much money do you require to get you out of debt?
Peggy xxxxxx
At this stage it is at the $2000 mark.
ReplyDeleteI agree - it is such a disappointment that even after a national disaster and when communities are doing their best at getting back on their feet, that red tape gets in the way. Imagine the council really coming to the communities and asking" Ok, what do you need to get back on your feet? what barriers can we remove? What support can we give?" Trust the people on the ground, give the support and watch the magic happen.
jacinda, Lyttel-town contributor
Jacinda, you and your fellow community members are an inspiration, you are like the hummingbird in that youtube you posted on your blog featuring Wangari Maathtai!
ReplyDeleteI will be extremely happy to donate the $2,000 required to wipe out this debt.
Is it possible to pay with Paypal?
Warmest heart hugs
Peggy xxxxxxx
How lovely of you to offer to pay this debt. Today we found out that the structure has been sold to Living Springs, another community based organisation from this harbour. This is a lovely outcome. Now most of the debts are paid off and this community maintains the use of the facility. Yippee.
ReplyDeleteIf you'd still like to help us out there are a couple of repairs that need doing to the canvass before we pass it on. Don't now the exact cost but imagine $100-200.
We do have a Pay Pal account that you can access from our web site www.lyttelton.net.nz if you'd like to do that. It really is heart warming to see you and others helping us out. Thank you so much.
Wendy (the writer of the plea for help).