A musical playground project for Three Parks has received a funding boost from Central Lakes Trust (CLT).

Musical playgrounds are generally located in public spaces like parks and are designed to encourage greater involvement in music-making and musical experiences in young people.

Wānaka Musicians Incorporated (WMI), the organisers of Wānaka’s long-running Stars in Your Eyes shows, are behind the local project, for which installation will begin shortly and the playground is expected to be up and running by April.

“This playground offers so much more than entertainment," WMI secretary David Baker said. 

"It gives the community a fun, inclusive environment to build social and developmental skills through music and invites families to spend meaningful time together."

It will be located at Three Parks’ ‘coffee corner’ near the Wānaka Recreation Centre and petanque court, on land provided by Willowridge Developments.

Money raised through Stars in Your Eyes over the past few years has funded the playground and the $20,000 grant from CLT will fund benches and sail shades for the location.

The CLT grant to WMI forms part of the $1.4M in grants CLT handed out in its first funding round of the year.

The musical playground will be located at ‘coffee corner’ near the Wānaka Recreation Centre. PHOTO: Wānaka App

WMI is one of five Upper Clutha community groups or organisations to receive funding in this round.

Others include the Upper Clutha Community Arts Council, which received $12,000 to help deliver its upcoming Wānaka Autumn Art School 2026. The school allows participants to step away from their everyday lives for one week and delve into a new art medium.

This year’s art school will run from April 13-17 and there are still spots available for some of the classes.

Predator Free Wānaka - which recently installed an 18km trapline as part of its predator management efforts in the Upper Clutha - received $8,894 towards trapping and monitoring supplies.

Read more: ‘Team effort’ to install 18km trapline

The last local recipient was Path Wānaka, which aims to connect parents, whānau and caregivers to the tools, knowledge and skills they need to support teenagers.

It received $23,600 towards its running costs for 2026.