The Central Otago District Council (CODC) Assessment Committee was in the enviable position yesterday of having more money in the Sport New Zealand Rural Travel Fund than had been applied for by schools and sports clubs.

The fund is targeted at young people aged between five and 19 years old, designed to help subsidise travel for junior teams participating in local sport competitions.

Sport New Zealand funds the grant to a total of $16,150.00 for the 2023/24 year. This year, the Community Trust of Otago (CTO) provided the first of what it said would be an annual grant of $10,000.00 for the Rural Travel Fund, bringing the total to $26,150.00.

Seventeen applications were received, for funding totalling $16,733.90.

Committee member Jo Knight (Sport Central sport and recreation advisor) worked out the amount requested per team member, with many sums being less than $15 to cover travel for the season.

“Everyone is complaining how hard it is to meet those costs,” she said.

Committee chair Tamah Alley suggested teams be informed that, with the additional grant from the CTO, there was more funding available than previously. 

Committee member Sarah Browne agreed.

“To give each family $15 is a token, but we want to be helpful rather than just give a token,” she said.

The 2023 season had been especially hard for hockey players from Maniototo Area School and Matakanui Hockey Club with the turf in Omakau unavailable for most of the season so teams had to travel to Cromwell or Ranfurly to play and even to practise.

After the meeting, Sarah said that the grant is primarily recognition of the time and kilometres parents put into helping their children and teammates get to competitions.

“It would be nice for it to be commensurate with at least a trip or two worth of petrol and then maybe families do a couple of trips each a season. It might actually cover something.”

Approved funding will go to: Junior Roxburgh Rugby Club ($1,400); Cromwell College netball ($500); Dunstan High School football ($1,218.90), cricket ($40), basketball ($1,000), and volleyball ($190); Maniototo Netball Club ($1,000); Maniototo Area School hockey ($1,000); Matakanui Hockey Club ($3,050); Roxburgh Area School junior cricket ($500), miniball ($600), netball ($1,500), and touch rugby ($1,500); Millers Flat School netball and rugby ($800) and hockey ($500); Alexandra Athletics Club ($575); and Central Otago White Water Club ($1,000).

The committee asked CODC parks and recreation administration advisor to investigate whether it could do a second round of funding in March or April to utilise the almost $10,000 not distributed.