It was a real pleasure to attend the Crossways Community Trust meeting tonight to hear the news that the Trust has met the first fundraising milestone to purchase the Crossways Community Centre in Mt Victoria. As part of the agreement with the current owners, the Presbyterian Church, and the Wellington City Council the trust was required to raise $450,000 by 31 March. They have done so, with the support of some very generous benefactors. A hearty congratulations to all those involved.  The next task is to raise an additional $550,000 by 1 September.

Crossways is a great community facility, which has been owned by the church since the late 1970s. Last year they made the decision to sell the Centre to help provide the funding needed to repair and upgrade the St Andrews on the Terrace.  The Crossways Trust was formed to try to keep the centre in community ownership. You can find out more about their campaign here and here.

I have been working with the Trust on a proposed education precinct, which forms a key part of a sustainable future for the Centre. This proposal would bring together the existing creche and the Clyde Quay Kindergarton at the Centre, working closely with Clyde Quay School. This is an innovative approach to the early years of education in Mt Victoria, that would also help support the on-going viability of this community facility.  There is a lot to do to make this a reality, but the energy and enthusiasm of those involved is inspiring.

For me places like Crossways are integral to building strong communities. They provide focal points for our communities when the pace and dynamics of urban life make connecting with our neighbours increasingly difficult. We need to support and develop such facilities right across Wellington and New Zealand.