Lumsden helipad to become reality

• Published date: 25 May 2023
• Publication title: Southland Express

Last week, the Southland District Council approved $10,000 of unbudgeted expenditure from the Mararoa Waimea ward reserve to meet final costs for the Lumsden helipad

Helicopters have been landing on a grass area behind the emergency services hub.

The Northern Southland Community board had approached the council for approval of $10,000 as it was unable to grant money from the reserve to cover unbudgeted expenses.

Council community partnership leader Kelly Tagg said the Lumsden Body Corporate had been granted resource consent and would be ready to start the helipad construction once all the funding had been achieved.

‘‘The community has been really supportive of this project.’’

Book sales and fundraising events had been held to raise all of the $35,000 building costs for the helipad.

‘‘There’s been a lot of community support with labour and materials as well.’’

Northern Community Board chairman Greg Tither said the community was 100% behind the project.

‘‘We think it is essential for the district, especially since the maternity ward closed down a few years ago.

‘‘It just showed aspects of that requirement of having the helicopter service available 24 hours a day. And that’s what the helipad...