Wow! We’re in May already – the start of this year has absolutely flown by, and it has been an incredible quarter for Stratford Park as we celebrate our full Board being in place, new activities and collaborations happening onsite and much more.
We welcomed Hemi Haddon (the Ngāti Ruanui Nomination), and Sam Tamarapa (the Ngāti Maru Nomination) to the Stratford Park Board, joining Allie Hemara-Wahanui, Arun Chaudhari, Jon Holmes, Tony Ewens, Phil Dally and Kim Sharpe. Having the full Board in place is a significant milestone for Stratford Park, as we continue to make headway towards reaching our Vision:
‘To be a thriving community hub, centred around education, wellbeing, recreation and entertainment for all to enjoy.’
The Stratford Park vision was born out of collaboration between the Stratford A&P Association, and the Taranaki Motorsport Trust. Collaboration is at the centre of everything we are creating onsite, and it is very exciting to announce two key collaborations that have recently launched, focusing on education, employment and the environment. The NZ Forest Industry Foundation Skills ākonga, run through Tree Machine, Tupu ā Nuku, and the Mayor’s Taskforce for Jobs in Stratford, and WITT Te Pūkenga’s Primary Industry Operations Course are the first Education Programmes to happen at Stratford Park. It is fantastic that we have been able to partner with these groups who have picked up this important Kaupapa for our community.
To celebrate this milestone, on Tuesday the 18th of April, we hosted an Education Ceremony where Kaumatua from Ngāti Maru and Ngāti Ruanui led the karakia, followed by the ceremonial planting of five kōwhai trees on the whenua, as well as Tree Machine sharing a waiata and kapa haka to celebrate. Andrew Murphy (Chair of the Stratford Park Steering Committee) and Mayor Neil Volzke shared words of welcome, followed by a morning tea. The turn-out for this celebration was amazing, with great support from Mana Whenua, Stratford District Councillor Clive Tongaawhikau, Dignitaries including Steph Lewis, Angela Roberts, Glen Bennett and Jo Luxton, and the wider Stratford Park community.
It has also been an exciting time for events and fundraisers onsite. The Equestrian Sub-Committee is in the midst of their 3-part Horse High Points Series, as a fundraiser for the Equestrian Facilities onsite. With a range of classes to enter, there has been a fantastic turn-out, showcasing the thriving Equestrian community we have here in Taranaki.
The Stratford Park Motorsport Sub-Committee hosted their first Motorfest and Swap Meet on Saturday the 22nd of April, and despite the weather, the number of vehicles that came along was incredible, including visitors from Wellington, Hamilton and Waihi! With a huge range of vehicles on display, and other attractions like the Fire Department demonstrating using the Jaws of Life to cut open a car, it was a great day out for everyone. This event will continue on an annual basis as a fundraiser for the Stratford Park Motorsport Complex.
Thank you to everyone who attended these events, your support of Stratford Park has been immense and we can’t wait to grow the vision and provide a thriving hub for our community. If you would like to donate to the Equestrian or Motorsport Complex please see the below details.
Donate
To donate to the Stratford Park Equestrian Complex, the details are:
Stratford A & P Assn. Inc.
15-3947-0366834-00
To donate to the Stratford Park Motorsport Complex, the details are:
TMFCT
15-3942-0905309-000
Now that the full Board is in place, the Strategy for the project is well on its way, and will guide the Stratford Park community as we follow the roadmap forward and take on the challenge of delivering this incredible community hub to the region. The first step in the roadmap is to move the existing Equestrian facilities to the south side of Flint Road. This planning and work is underway, starting with two All-Weather Arenas, as a key early step in the development of Stratford Park.
Want to get involved?
Here’s some upcoming opportunities:
- We are currently looking to fill 2x roles on the Stratford Park Steering Committee; a Procurement role and a Marketing and Community Engagement role. If you or someone you know has the expertise and is keen to volunteer in one of these roles, please reach out to Andrew at chairman@stratfordpark.co.nz
- We are also looking for an environmental lead to help establish an environmental sub-committee (reporting to the steering committee) with the initial focus on developing an environmental management plan for the whole site and then to assist in coordinating the various environmental projects. If you would like to be involved, please reach out to Holly at projectmanager@stratfordpark.co.nz
- We are extremely grateful for our community and business donations and sponsorships to date, if you would like to be involved, please reach out to Holly at projectmanager@stratfordpark.co.nz
