Ashburton Courier: December 19, 2019

Page 16, Ashburton's The Courier, Thursday 19 December 2019
Pool gets robotic cleaner
Local news at www.starnews.co.nz
Community funds
Lion Foundation regional grants committee chairman Roger Paterson, right,
and Ashburton Trust board member Chantelle Quinn, centre, with
Ashburton Multicultural Trust trustees Tumanu JR Paiaaua, Thelma Bell and
Selwyn Price.
Lion Foundation trustees Ashburton mayor Neil Brown, left, and Kieran Breakwell with Helena
Dunlea and the robot cleaner.
Rakaia pool custodian Helena Dunlea has anew tool
that will help keep the popular village swimming spot
spick and span.
The pool committee has bought a$5000 robotic
cleaner that can sweep the bottom of the 33­metrepool
and climbits wallstosuckout gritand other unwanted
bits.
A grant from the Lion Foundation enabled the
purchase and Mrs Dunlea has already had it in the pool
and cleaning­makingapreviously laboriousand timeconsuming
job much easier and quicker. She simply
plugs the robot inand sets its loose for acouple of
hours.
The Rakaia pool is used regularly by about 50
families and is open now for the long, hot days of
summer. Asupervisor will be poolside from 2pm until
5.30pm, Monday to Friday, while those with key access
can swim from 9am until 9pm.
The village pool is apopular spot. It was built in 1956
and has been asafe place to swim for generations of
Rakaia people; in early days there were regular swim
meets and gymkhanas.
Ashburton mayor Neil Brown swam there and said
he remembers the water being chilly during class
lessons. He has no headfor heights so avoided the high
dive, but he has been off the lower diving board.
Mr Brown and Kieran Breakwell, astrustees for the
Lion Foundation, checked out the new robot cleaner
this week.
Mrs Dunlea said the pool ran with the help ofa
small, dedicated group. She is responsible for checking
chemical levels daily while others gave their time to
different projects.
‘‘It is amajor asset for our kids.’’
Some $318,000 has been
given to local groups and
causesinthe latestfunding
roundfrom theAshburton
Trust and Lion Foundation
regional grants
committee.
Ashburton College
received $78,723 for the
purchase of a mini van,
mixing console, six televisions,
sports uniforms
and leadership training.
Groupsreceiving money
for rent or administration
support included Ashburton
Parents Centre
($20,000), Ashburton
Senior Citizens ($30,000),
CanInspire Charitable
Trust ($10,000) and Volunteering
Mid and South
Canterbury ($5000).
The Anglican Parish of
Ashburton received
$15,819 for heat pumps,
Ashburton Harness Racing
Museum Charitable
Trust $13,838 for exterior
painting and Zonta Ashburton
$2444 for venue
hire and costs associated
with hosting the annual
International Women’s
Day breakfast.
Ashburton Multicultural
Trust receives
$17,500 towards the salary
cost ofits co­ordinator.
The trust organises the
successful multicultural
Bite event that showcases
the ethnic diversity of the
district through food and
culture each year at a
Waitangi Day celebration.
Other trust funding
went to the following
groups: Ashburton Housing
and Support Trust
($11,500), Ashburton
Swim Team ($30,000),
Basketball Mid Canterbury
($11,186), Community
House Mid Canterbury
($19,820), Hakatere Multi
Cultural Council
($12,000), Kanuka Mid
Canterbury Regeneration
Trust Board ($5000),
Methven Playcentre
($2539), Presbyterian Support
($20,000), Rakaia
Swimming Pool ($5462)
and Scouts Mania­O­Roto
Zone ($7500).
Season’s Greetings
We areclosed from 1pm Wednesday, December 18,
and reopening on Friday, January3,2020 at 8:30am
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