September 2, 2019
Nanango will build the South Burnett’s first all-abilities playground after a year of community fundraising came to a successful end on Saturday night.
The announcement that the Butter Factory Park fundraising drive had ended was made at a community dinner organised by NaTDA in Little Drayton Street.
About 160 people brought along their own meals and found places at tables set up in the laneway for the event, the first of its kind held in the region.
Their chosen cuisines ranged from purchased pizzas to elaborate crock-pot feasts and tacos complete with all the toppings … and one table even brought along its own candelabra.
Organiser Jane Erkens told the crowd that thanks to the community’s efforts over the past 12 months, the $20,000 fundraising target for the special needs playground had been achieved.
Nanango’s Heritage Bank – which offered to fund the project on a $3-for-$1 basis last November – will contribute the remaining $60,000 balance to make the project a reality.
The evening also included the official launch of Nanango’s new SoundTrail app, which allows visitors to download an app to their mobile device and walk around Nanango’s CBD, hearing stories about its historic buildings told by locals.
The SoundTrail is the first of its kind in the South Burnett, and only the second in Queensland.
It was developed by the Nanango History Room and freelance radio producer Hamish Sewell thanks to a grant from Nanango’s Heritage Bank.
Guests at the community dinner were given a questionnaire to test their knowledge of Nanango’s history.
Only one managed to get all 10 questions correct, with a handful scoring 90 per cent.
Mary Green, from the Nanango History Room, said this indicated why the SoundTrail would be valuable to local residents as well as visitors.
Guests paid $5 to attend the dinner as a final contribution to the Butter Factory Park project.
An art auction held during the course of the night raised a further $610.
On Monday, Jane told southburnett.com.au it now looked like the $20,000 target had been exceeded by $2000 to $3000.
“I am very proud of everyone who contributed towards this,” Jane said.
“It doesn’t matter whether they gave $1 or thousands, the important point is that the community got behind this project and now we can bring a great new facility to our region that will help special needs children and adults no matter where they live in the South Burnett.”
The dinner was compered by Rod Morgan, from Morgan’s Health and Fitness, who entertained the crowd as he introduced several speakers during the course of the night.
Rod praised Nanango for getting behind the Butter Factory Park project, and said it was just one of many projects the community had funded over the past few decades.
Mayor Keith Campbell – who shared a table with his wife Marion, Cr Gavin Jones and his wife Wendy, and councillors Roz Frohloff and Danita Potter – said he was impressed with the great atmosphere at the event.
“Everyone really seems to be enjoying themselves,” he said. “What a great idea!”
The South Burnett Regional Council gave its approval for Butter Factory Park’s redevelopment as an inclusive park last June, subject to a fully costed proposal being prepared and presented to Council.
With fundraising concluded, a proposal is expected to be submitted within months and construction to occur as early as next year.
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