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tuesday 29 May 2018
dancing for a cause
page 4
Page 16-18
Tahuna camp $1m in debt Charles Anderson Editor
charles@nelsonweekly.co.nz EXCLUSIVE
The future of the Tahuna Holiday Park is unclear as the society that governs the camp is revealed to have run up almost $1 million in debt, the Nelson Weekly has learned. In response, the Nelson City Council has appointed a business adviser to the Tahuna Camp Incorporated Society to ensure “the ongoing viability and sustainability of the camp” as well as ensuring it complies with its governance obligations. Nelson City Council owns the land and then leases it back to the society to run it. The lease of the 22-hectare camp is up on June 1 and at a closed doors meeting last week council decided to renew the society’s lease until next year. However, that future was still unknown when the Nelson Weekly spoke to the couple who have run the adjacent conference centre
Hockey masters
page 26
‘She’s a bit of a superhero’ Jonty Dine
for the last 10 years. “We have had to turn away $300,000 of work this year because we can’t guarantee to clients what will be here,” says outgoing centre manager John Bilderbeck. “The communication just hasn’t been there.” According to the financial statements of the Tahuna Camp Incorporated Society, it is more than $907,000 in debt with the Tahuna Café and shop losing $250,000 in the last two years. “It’s a real bloody shame,” says John. “It’s a bloody good asset but the council won’t spend money on it. I don’t understand it.” John and his wife Yvonne say that the situation has led them to retire from the facility, even though they have loved their time running it. When they leave at the end of next month they will take with them all the event chattels that they have built up over the years.
Deanna Marsden has returned to the netball court after losing her leg to cancer in 2015. Photo: Jonty Dine.
After losing her right leg, her hair, and countless hours of school, ten-year-old Deanna Marsden is back playing sport with a spring in her step. As a six-year-old Deanna battled a particularly aggressive form of bone cancer and, in 2015, the Tahunanui Primary student had her leg amputated. She underwent a Van-Nes rotationplasty to remove the cancerous bone and wears a prosthetic limb to ensure she can continue playing the games she loves. Deanna has spent two and a half years wearing out her prosthetic leg, which she called ‘Daisy’, and recently received a second one. “It feels like when you get a new pair of shoes, it just takes some getting used to,” she says. She is also waiting for a blade, so she can move even faster. Deanna tested the blade and says she is very excited to take it to the netball court. “It feels lighter and pretty bouncy, it will definitely help.” Deanna returned to the netball court this season for Tahunanui School, the shooter helping her side remain unbeaten. “We have won all of our games so far.” She says she is loving being back playing competitive sport. “They don’t go easy on me and I wouldn’t want them to.” A sports-mad child, Deanna also enjoys horse
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