Cambridge Lions donate $24K for skatepark furniture

A generous donation for new park furniture has been given to Waipā District Council by the Cambridge Lions Club today.

The $24,000 donation will help fund a joint project between the two organisations to install two new picnic tables, three bench seats, three rubbish bins and a shade cover at the Cambridge skate park as well as a seat on the Camelia Track at Lake Te Koo Utu.

Council’s parks and reserves operations team leader Matt Johnston said the donation would be put to good use.

“We are very grateful for the Cambridge Lions Club’s generous donation and know the new park furniture will be able to be enjoyed for many years to come.

“The addition of a shade sail to the park will also bring some much-needed cover from the sun over the hot summer months.”

Warren Beard, director of projects at the Cambridge Lions Club and a frequent visitor to the skate park with his grandchildren, recognised the opportunity to create a more enjoyable experience at the facility.

“Many of our club members are grandparents who often take their grandchildren to this facility, and we thought some new furniture would really enhance this space,” he said.

“Shelter and seating will benefit the children, parents and grandparents using the amazing facility.”

The Cambridge skate park was last upgraded in 2015, and together with the recent addition of the Velosolutions Pump Track, a 196m long pump track and 222m jump track, has become a popular area for children and families to enjoy.

In addition to the shade sail over one of the picnic tables, bench seats will be located underneath trees to help provide additional sun cover, particularly important in the summer months.

The new park furniture will be put in place next year by Council’s parks operations team.