"After months of hard work and dedication by the Central Otago Heritage Working Party a report ‘Towards Better Heritage Outcomes for Central Otago’, setting out community inspired recommendations for managing the future of Central Otago’s heritage, has been finalised."

MEDIA RELEASE
4 December 2012

Towards Better Heritage Outcomes for Central Otago

After months of hard work and dedication by the Central Otago Heritage Working Party a report ‘Towards Better Heritage Outcomes for Central Otago’, setting out community inspired recommendations for managing the future of Central Otago’s heritage, has been finalised.

The working party began developing the document in April this year after holding community workshops around the district. The group met regularly and prepared a draft report for public consultation based on the themes that came out of the workshops.

Chair of the working party John Lane, said 37 submissions were received to the draft document. The working party has taken all these submissions and comments from the meetings into account while revising and finalising the report.

“We have had a lot of input from a lot of people with a lot of passion. The people of Central Otago have articulated their vision for our heritage, how it should be looked after and celebrated,” Mr Lane said.

There are many recommendations within the report including reviewing how communities can best support local owners to maintain and value the heritage on their properties; encouraging the use of heritage in tourism promotion; and considering how museums can share resources and source new avenues of funding for heritage, including the creation of a new heritage fund.

A key discussion point during the consultation process was who would take responsibility for the management of the report. The Central Otago Heritage Trust has put its hand up and agreed to coordinate the implementation of the recommendations within the report.

Graye Shattky, Chair of the Central Otago Heritage Trust, said the Trust “considers Central Otago’s heritage to be an asset and legacy which belongs to all of our community”.

“While responsibility for specific aspects of heritage has long been undertaken by a wide  range of organisations, community groups and committed individuals, it is clear that  effective implementation of the report’s recommendations requires a degree of  overarching coordination. The Heritage Trust is pleased to assume that responsibility on  behalf of the Central Otago community.”

The Trust proposes to facilitate a heritage forum in early 2013 in which all interested  heritage groups, individuals and stakeholders within Central Otago will be asked to  participate in the process of further defining heritage priorities and responsibilities,  leading towards better heritage outcomes for Central 0tago.

Copies of the final ‘Towards Better Heritage Outcomes for Central Otago’ report can be  downloaded from the www.codc.govt.nz or www.centralotagonz.com websites. Should  you wish to receive a hard copy, please email Judith Whyte on judith.whyte@codc.govt.nz or phone on (03) 440 0618.

Contacts:
John Lane                                                                 Graye Shattky
Central Otago Heritage Working Party             Central Otago Heritage Trust
Ph: 027 620 4523                                                   Ph: (03) 447 3744