On 24 March, Council voted to accept the gifting of Keane Park in Glenavy from the Bridging Waitaki Charitable Trust Group.
The Trust was set up when the land was gifted to the community by the estate of Joe and Connie Keane in June 2001. Over the following 20 years, the Trust put a lot of work into developing the park and ran many successful events such as the annual Salmon Run.
Additions over the years have included a large public shelter, a toilet, gravel turning bay, an 800-year-old matai log and displays showing the history of Glenavy. In 2004 the original police station and jail was refurbished and moved to the site.
The Trust has declined in numbers over the last decade, and members felt they could no longer maintain the park.
On accepting the gifted land, Council acknowledged the work that has been done by the Trust and various community groups and sponsors to develop the park and recognised it as a valuable and enjoyable asset for the Glenavy community.
Council has been cleaning the toilet since 2017 and will now take on full maintenance which requires minimal funding. Work will include mowing and general upkeep of vegetation at a cost of around $2,600 per year and the replacement of the existing toilet with a repurposed unit from another park at a cost of around $3,000. The park has a property value of $260,000 and is non-rateable.
The Trust will now be terminated and the land officially transferred.
