20 September 2000 Grant supports 'visions' for future of Lincoln township

A research project which will examine a vision for the future of Lincoln township, including the University and research institutes, has won financial support from Lincoln University's Fund for Excellence.

Dr Jacky Bowring is one of six students and five staff to share an allocation from the Fund, which distributes money raised from alumni towards promising university research projects.

Dr Bowring's project is developing a range of visions and strategies for Lincoln village, using ideas and feedback gathered at a series of community consultation workshops. The project began late last year and the Fund for Excellence grant will cover the cost of the final phase of consultation. When all of the feedback has been gathered, the project leaders will prepare a report outlining the various visions that have been identified, and how these might be achieved.

"The consultation has provided the means of gathering together the community's views on a wide range of issues, such as transport, the local street-scape and the Liffey Stream," she says. "Once the report has been completed it will be up to the community to decide which options to pursue and how to achieve their goals."

The project has been partly funded by the Selwyn District Council.

Lincoln's Fund for Excellence was the first of its kind established by a New Zealand university, and aims to promote excellence in teaching, research and student services using funds collected in an annual appeal to alumni, University Council members and friends of Lincoln University.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand