The next step has been taken towards a $4.2 million project which will allow South Invercargill’s community to further connect, communicate and collaborate.
The Invercargill Community Connections Charitable Trust (IC2) officially launched The Grace Street Project today after securing ownership of the former Grace Street Chapel, and nearly $1.5 million of the total funding needed to transform the space.
The project would include renovating, rebuilding and modernising the existing building to create a multi-purpose facility for the community to utilise — a site of its scale had been identified as missing from the area.
IC2 chair Janette Malcolm said the creation of the space would complement current community initiatives The Pantry and South Alive, which had been successfully operating in the suburb since 2017.
“Over the past two years, we have consulted a very wide range of people in order to create a ‘by the community, for the community’ approach to making this a reality.
“We want to develop a stronger campus that provides a larger facility and a wider range of programmes, courses and activities to build on the work that has already been done to grow South Invercargill’s opportunities.”
The Grace Street Project would include a community lounge, space for large-scale meetings, workshops, exercise classes, exhibitions, internationally-streamed gaming stations, offices and co-working spaces, markets and other events needing indoor shelter.
Capital funding committed to date included $250k from the ILT Foundation, $70k from the ILT, $250k from the Southern Institute of Technology (SIT), $200k from Aotearoa Gaming Trust, $100k from Invercargill City Council and $75k from Community Trust South.
Confidential and private trusts had also contributed a further $540k, alongside a list of community sponsors and Government agencies which were eager to get behind the initiative.
SIT chief executive Daryl Haggerty said the education provider had established a founding partnership with The Grace Street Project, and in addition to its initial funding, would take on a 5 + 5-year lease for access to spaces within the building.
“We think this proposed facility will be safe, inclusive, welcoming of the full community and have the possibility of engagement, seeding relationships and some initial work, perhaps micro-credentialing, which then provides a safe pathway into programmes at SIT campus where there are more resources and facilities.”
ILT president Paddy O’Brien said the organisation was “delighted” to fund a project which would provide a safe and accessible place for the wider community to engage with each other — an “essential” to overall well-being.
“The ILT is fully supportive of activities like this that will have a positive impact on our community, particularly our city’s youth.
“We look forward to continuing to work with these groups to build on the services available to our wider community.”
Ms Malcolm said the focus would now be on raising the rest of the money required for the renovation, while also continuing discussions with the community about the detailed design of the project.