Media
Release
Wednesday 1st October 2003
Heritage Conservation Funding Announced
The Rangitoto Island Historic Conservation Trust is proud
to announce a major sponsoring partnership between the Trust,
AMP and the New Zealand National Parks and Conservation
Foundation.
The Trust was established seven years ago to maintain and
preserve the remaining baches on Rangitoto Island, to establish
an oral history and photographic archive and to find ways
to make the restored baches available for public use. Over
the past years we have worked with the Department of Conservation,
the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, Auckland Regional
Council and Auckland City to establish the national significance
of the bach communities on Rangitoto Island.
The sponsorship with AMP Financial Services is a logical
partnership as AMP's brand values around protecting assets
matched that of the Trust and the Foundation. The sponsorship
crystallises the tremendous amount of work the Trust has
already completed and lets the Trust work towards its future
objectives in particular the restoration process.
The sponsorship negotiated on our behalf by the New Zealand
National Parks and Conservation Foundation Executive Director,
Jocelyn Watkin, will enable the restoration of three baches
over the next three years. The sponsorship will also allow
the Trust to improve access to its archive through a new
website and education pages with further archival research.
More than 150 years ago AMP travelled to New Zealand from
Australia with its first customer. In the intervening years
AMP has built a business and reputation on helping New Zealanders
build their wealth and protect their assets. Announcing
the sponsorship Ross Kent Managing Director of AMP Financial
Services in New Zealand said the partnership with the Trust
and the Foundation is an opportunity for AMP to make a contribution
to the heritage of Auckland. "AMP has a strong history
of community involvement in New Zealand. We see this sponsorship
as another way of helping the community protect its historical
assets."
Ordinary New Zealanders built the bach communities on Rangitoto
Island during the 1920's and 30's. Other bach communities
once prevalent throughout the country have largely given
way to holiday home developments. The remaining baches not
only encapsulate Aucklands development of that time but
are also irreplaceable artefacts of New Zealand's architectural
and social history.
It is never easy to raise funds for large projects such
as this. The Trust has always recognised that the baches
are unique for their architectural "window in time"
moment but believe that the opportunity to make them available
to the public for the traditional kiwi bach holiday of lamplight,
long drops and tank water is equally important. Trust Chairman,
Elizabeth Andrew, says "AMP's sponsorship and belief
in the Trust's ability to make the project work is a shot-in-the-arm
for the Trust. It will enable us to move forward with confidence
over the next few years to fulfil the dream of many of the
leaseholders who have had to give up their precious family
bach." As the late Mame Watson a long time lessee said
- "I feel it has been a great privilege for us to have
been on that island. I really feel that way because we all
love the island."
The Trust is also looking forward to working with the New
Zealand National Parks and Conservation Foundation and continuing
its partnership with the Department of Conservation. Depart
of Conservation conservator, ROb McCallum, commended the
partnership between AMP, The New Zealand National Parks
Conservation Foundation and the Rangitoto Island Historic
Conservation Trust. It's great to see sponsorship of this
project to conserve some of the Rangitoto baches and tell
he history of the bach communities so the public can enjoy
this part of Auckland's heritage in the future. The department
is supportive of the Rangitoto Island Historic Conservation
Trust's work on the island.
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