And the money keeps rolling in - but they still need more.

The Network Waitaki Event Centre Trust has been granted $300,000 from the Lotteries Facilities Fund Committee towards the centre, it was announced this week, taking the total raised to $28.4 million.

The $32m project aligned with the Lottery Grants Board and its priorities, and the committee wished the event centre trust well with the project, trust member Deidre Senior said.

“Considering they had just $6,805,776 to distribute and in excess of $33 million of requests, we are very grateful that our project has been identified as a priority,” she said.

Meanwhile the wider project group is working with a proposed contractor, finalising concepts and designs that it is hoped will be out to the public in the next few weeks.

Fundraising is on track for the required amount, and trust members are excited about initiatives for next year that the public can engage with to continue the fundraising drive for the community facility, Deidre said.

Waitaki District Mayor Gary Kircher said everyone was “very excited” to be another step closer to making the event centre a reality.

“[We] thank the Waitaki Event Centre Trust and the Lotteries Facilities Fund Committee for their efforts and support,” he said. 

“As we get closer to the funding target, we’d encourage anyone with the means and ability to help hit that target by donating to the project fundraiser.”