A welcome funding boost has kickstarted the Ashburton A&P Showgrounds’ redevelopment.

The Community Trust of Mid and South Canterbury has approved a $10,000 grant for the showgrounds, which has left association board chairman Richard Lemon extremely grateful.

"We do want to recognise what the trust has done for us and acknowledge their support.”

He said the money would go towards re-fencing the west side of the track, which has begun being converted into new horse arenas.

Plans for a staged redevelopment of the showgrounds were revealed in April last year, with a price tag of $600,000 initially put on the revamp, but Lemon said that was a worst-case scenario cost.

When the association first looked at the grounds, they’d intended to rip up the ground and relay the entire space, Lemon said.

Upon reassessment, they’ve decided to revitalise the grounds in their current state.

"That $600,000 was a phenomenal cost for a venue that would be jumped on for [the equivalent of] three weeks over the year.

"So we felt, for the first few years, that we could just tidy up what was there and see what happens.

"If the grounds can’t stand up to that, we’ll reassess and probably go in with bigger machinery.”

Lemon said the redevelopment was more than just an aesthetic upgrade.

"Under today’s health and safety standards, you could get into a whole heap of issues if a horse broke away or something.

"We do our best to make sure everyone on the grounds is safe.”

He said an equestrian group was looking at creating a sand arena, which was another reason for not replacing the field.

"We didn’t want to go overspending on a massive, big development, and then tear a section of it up.

"We’re not rushing out to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars at once.”

The Community Trust of Mid & South Canterbury also granted the Allenton Rugby Club $10,000 for their bathroom upgrade, Methven Rugby Club $15,000 for their women’s changing room project and Willowby Hall $2000 for window improvements.

By Anisha Satya