Dunstan Community Whare Trust (DCWT) has received a $174,000 grant from Central Lakes Trust (CLT) to extend and upgrade the Dunstan Community Whare.

Rotary has also granted $3000 and the trust has $45,000 of its own funds for the project, estimated to cost $388,000. 

DCWT secretary Louise McKenzie said more funding applications would be made to New Zealand Lotteries Board and Otago Community Trust to reach the target. 

Louise said the whare was built on Ministry of Education land 19 years ago to meet a Ngai Tahu condition that it could be used as a teaching space as well as a Māori community facility.

“It was all we could afford at the time… and according to tikanga Māori there should be division between meeting and sleeping space and the kitchen or eating space… and we had vinyl flooring for this.” 

The idea of a whare was first mooted back in 1995 by local whanau group Te Ao Huri (translates as ‘the changing world’). 

The kitchen design for the new wharenui. IMAGE: MELINDA TWEEDIE INTERIORS

DCWT has managed and maintained Whakaruruhau for use by Māori, Central Otago schools and the local community since it was first opened - more than a decade after it was mooted - in May 2006. 

The whare has become a key community asset; a venue for hui, tangi, community meetings, wānanga (workshops), celebrations, and educational purposes including Te Reo, Kapa Haka and Tikanga NCEA subjects. 

DWCT has spent $8500 so far on preliminary plans, design and tender documents for the improved facility; adding a dining room and upgrading the existing kitchen.

The whare floorplan, showing the extension, an extra 66m2 (excluding proposed new decking). PHOTO: Supplied 

This project will likely see a larger number of community groups being able to use the facility.

Work includes a much larger commercial kitchen with a sterilizer, double fridge, stainless steel bench and ovens, as well as a dining room.

Louise said she hoped funds would cover the installation of more decking but said it would be “an enhancement and it would depend on the money”. 

The native garden alongside the whare including kowhais, harakeke and sculptures has been transplanted in anticipation of the project.

“It will all come back and the garden will be redesigned."

Larger sized events were “very hard work in the current facility” and having a dining room space would make a huge difference scaling kai (food) for crowds or if it was raining, she said.

Louise thanked the community for backing the project including the late Ruth Panelli, of Clyde, who donated $10,000 to support the upgrade.

No work will begin until all the money is in, Louise said. 

Whakaruruhau, symbolized in a carving by Bubba Thompson, mounted above the front entrance to the Whare. PHOTO: Richard McKenzie   

Other project grants to Central organisations awarded at CLT’s first board meeting for the year were: $68,900 to Dunstan Arm Rowing Club for a new community shed facility and Veterans Cricket New Zealand received $2000 for the Over 70s tournament.  

Operational grants went to Central Lakes Breastfeeding ($20,000), Cromwell Community House ($73,800), Volunteer South ($85,900), Central and Southern Kids Educational Trust ($30,000), Good Bitches Baking ($4,800) and Otago multiple sclerosis society

($11,770).

Central Lakes Trust (CLT) awarded grants totalling $1,024,959, these grants will enable 23 charitable organisations throughout the region with their operations, programmes, and projects to benefit the community.

CLT chief executive Barbara Bridger said many of the grantees were community-led initiatives. 

“It’s encouraging to see such a wide variety of organisations stepping up to address the needs and opportunities within our region.”

To view the complete list of recipients see CLT’s website

To contact DCWT to find out more about the whare upgrade, or support the project, call Louise on 027 650 8983. 

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