Members of the Wanaka Community Workshop Trust and other interested parties checked out the new premises for Wanaka’s fledgling community workshop on Wednesday afternoon (March 17).

Ben Acland and Gwilym Griffith-Jones registered the Wanaka Community Workshop Trust as a charitable trust last year.

The workshop’s founding principles are a space where multiple groups can use shared tools and materials to make, repair, and create. The concept aims to bring people together in a way which builds a resilient community, retaining knowledge and reducing waste, Ben said.

Ben was happy with the feedback on the new shed, previously occupied by gymnasium Crossfit Wanaka, which he owns and has offered to the trust at half the market value in the first year.

“Build it and they will come, right?” he said.

Wastebusters will bring their repair trailer and park on the lot and start running its events there, he said, and members of the M!NT Trust also attended. M!NT is looking for a place for the young members to come and practice building and other skills.

“Kahu Youth wasn’t there but they are very keen to use the workshop,” Ben added.

Prue Kane from Wai Wanaka also checked out the site. “Wai Wanaka is looking for things for their Jobs in Nature people to do through winter, like make predator traps,” Ben said.

Ben’s next step is to establish a men’s shed within the community workshop. 

“I think the next thing is to pull the people out of the community who can lead those things. It’s much easier to find those people when there’s something physical for them to look at.”

The trust is also working on funding applications to secure ongoing funding for the workshop.

The workshop is currently empty and any people interested in volunteering to help fit it out, or to help in any other way, should contact the trust through its website.

PHOTO: Wanaka App