Developing strong relationships with local sport and recreation groups is high on the agenda for new Mercury Bay Recreation Trust chairman Bill McLean.

Bill is one of six new faces to be appointed on to the recreation trust's board last week.

Mercury Bay Community Board members Bill McLean and Deli Connell have been appointed to the Mercury Bay Recreation Trust recently.

He is joined by is joined by fellow Mercury Bay Community Board member Deli Connell and takes over the chairmanship from Doug Bourne who has decided to stand down.

Other new members include tourism and transport operator Garry Fitzsimons, local businesswoman Kiri Moore, Mercury Bay local Wayne Malcolm, and retired consulting engineer Mike Brown.

'We're looking forward to being actively involved in the promotion and development of the Mercury Bay Multi Sport Park,” says Bill.

'We're already embracing the work and wanting to encourage relationships with all sport and recreation groups.”

The trust is an incorporated society established in 2011 to promote and develop the Mercury Bay Sports Park and recreation opportunities in the area.

Its main objective is to foster relationships with sports and recreation groups and apply for external funding for various aspects of the park that will not be funded by Council.

The Trust also works closely with Mercury Bay Sports Park coordinator Sue Costello, whose role is to liaise directly with the various sporting codes and coordinate bookings and events at the park.

Bill says they are currently working on developing a sponsorship policy for the Sports Park.

'As well as prioritising projects that need funding, and then seeking funding opportunities for these.”

The Trust's most recent funding success has been for trestle tables and chairs, three drinking fountains, rugby and football goal posts, a fully equipped kitchen with fridge and mobile barbeque.

An application to a funding agency for further rugby goal posts has been submitted recently and it is also working on obtaining quotes for lights in the car park, turf area and netball courts.

'Next on the agenda is investigating options for a temporary function room which can accommodate the needs of the codes in the short-term,” says Bill.