Very sadly for the hard working and inspired group of people whose love and passion of the Mackenzie country grew to a vision for The Mackenzie Heritage Centre, funding has not been able to be secured so the plans have been abandoned. Read on for the final newsletter for this project outlining why that decision has been made. Very sadly for the hard working and inspired group of people whose love and passion of the Mackenzie country grew to a vision for The Mackenzie Heritage Centre, funding has not been able to be secured so the plans have been abandoned. Read on for the final newsletter for this project outlining why that decision has been made.The Mackenzie Heritage Centre
Autumn 2006

Despite the need to terminate the Project Director's employment with the Trust, our last newsletter expressed optimism that significant funds might soon be forthcoming as a result of a number of initiatives underway at that time. Had that been the case, we were confident that an approach for major funding from the Ministry of Culture and Heritage, under the Regional Museums policy would be successful. That application had been signaled to the Ministry over two years ago and would have been made in February 2006, for funding in July 2006. The project would then have been assured of proceeding. A good deal of preparation for that application and positioning of the project had been undertaken by Malcolm Anderson and Jo Baird, when they were with us. Regrettably that application will not now be lodged because one crucial criterion cannot be met - that of confirmation that all other funding required for the project to proceed in the near future has been secured. We have worked hard over a period of four years to try to secure this crucial non-central government funding from a variety of local government sources, charitable organizations, corporate sector sources, private individuals and benefactors. Enormous effort has been given to every possible source. Regrettably, the progress required has not been achieved, and unfortunately we now believe and accept that it will not be achieved in the foreseeable future. For this reason the Trust has been compelled to reflect on its future and that of the project.
The following decisions have been taken. Plans for the Mackenzie Heritage Centre will be abandoned. No further efforts at fundraising will be made. The Mackenzie Centre Community Trust will be wound-up once all work-in-progress has been completed. We, the Trustees, feel extremely sad to reach this point, and know that large numbers of others who have in one way or another supported and been excited by the project will feel the same. We thank you for your support in whatever form it took. Many have given money, some quite large sums, many have given time. Regrettably the combined enthusiasm and efforts of these people has not been sufficient to carry the day But we have planted a seed. Very few of those aware of the project do not admire and approve the vision. Few doubt the benefits such a project would bring. Few doubted its viability and all would have liked to see it happen. But Lake Tekapo and the Mackenzie have few corporate citizens and only a tiny population base, as tiny as the region is grand. Ultimately the Heritage Centre would have been built by funds from outside the region, but that will never occur without greater support than we have achieved from within the Region. Clearly the time for the vision we have had has not yet come.
over the last four years the Trust has raised and spent over $700,000 planning for the Centre. Quite the largest component of this has come from our Trustees and Patrons themselves, none of whom have gained personally or been reimbursed for expenses met and time given. The Mackenzie District Council through its early and generous donation of $75,000 demonstrated its support for the project. Many who know and love the area, or live within it have given generously To all those people we say thankyou - for your trust in us and your willingness to support a grand vision -before it was a sure thing!
We thank Warren and Mahoney and our exhibition design teams for the work they have done, and redone for little recompense and for their belief in our vision. We thank Andrew and Karen Simpson and their family for their belief in the vision and their willingness tdonate a prime site for the Centre.
Notwithstanding our current sadness, we have achieved a good deal, and highlighted again the beauty and richness of the region, and the remarkable achievements of those who have inhabited the same, since the first Maori entered the Mackenzie, centuries ago. We are pleased to have brought two successful Summer Series
of events to the region in 2004 and 2005. We, the trustees, have learned much more than we knew of the Mackenzie and those who have shaped it's past and present, and hope the same is so for some of you. We have accumulated a good deal of information on the history of the region and will soon have completed lb oral histories from a mix of noted personalities, covering a number of facets of life and achievement within the Mackenzie. All of this will be available for the future and will not be lost. The oral histories will be stored in the National Library for future generations and use. The details of our planning and marketing provisions will be stored by Richard Stubbs, Chairman of the Trust, and may be made available to any involved in a similar future venture.

Note: This will be the last newsletter Our websites will close 31 March 2006, and the billboard will be removed from the site by that date. We will always feel sorry to have failed in our goal, but can feel pleased to have tried.