Section: Building Fund

The story so far…

The Board of Ten Lives has been committed to operating a world class Cat Management Facility since developing it’s strategic plan in 2015. The subsequent plan in 2018 reaffirmed that commitment.

In 2017 architect Genevieve Lilley was appointed with a tough brief. We need a fit for purpose facility that would meet the needs of our cats, our people, and our community for the next couple of decades AND we needed to make the best use of existing buildings and ensure we could meet a very strict budget. We also needed to build in stages as we raised funds and gained support from the community.

Ten Lives received planning approval for the project in April 2020.

Local personality, Dave Noonan, came on board as a Ten Lives’ Ambassador and quickly started garnering support from the building industry. Dave garnered support from Josh Muskett and Craig Swan from the innovative local building company, Podmatrix. Podmatrix’s work can be seen at Pump House Point and many other places throughout Tasmania. Their innovative approach of building quality pods offsite and then transporting and craning them into place, was a perfect solution for Ten Lives and our cats. This approach avoids months of noisy and disruptive onsite works that would be very stressful for our cats, particularly for those in our hospital wing.

Craig and Josh visited Ten Lives with Dave, and soon recognised the huge role Ten Lives plays in the community for the benefit and welfare of cats, the environment, and the community. Craig said that he and Josh were very happy to support a self because of the vital community service it provided. That’s why Craig and Josh have committed to an in-kind donation to the project of nearly $100,000! This was major step forward.

Could this project now really happen?!

Dave’s approaches to other suppliers quickly gained momentum. Andrew Clennett from Clennett’s Mitre Ten offered a contribution of timber supplies.

Craig and Sandra Clark of Clark Windows are helping out with windows.

Todd Tatnell from Tatnell Painters said it is always good to help out and is doing so along with Scott Jackman at Dulux. Greg Smith and the team at Elliott’s Cranes will see the pods all safety craned into place.

John Erends from Steeline said they would be up for providing steel for the rooves, and Isaac Gaul from Energy Solutions with electrical work.

Then you… the community, who have come on board in force with donations from a few dollars to several thousand. Every generous donation, large or small, is inching us closer to our goal. Our President, David Rees, even came up with a hair brained idea (his words!) to create a Tour de Ten Lives fundraiser where he and some dedicated mates rode bikes every day for 21 days, just like the ‘other’ tour. Supporter Jacqui Guy ran an equivalent course every day. The Tour de Ten Lives team even went from Orford to the pinnacle of Mount Wellington in one ride. Thanks ‘Mr. Prez’ and team, that is really showing commitment to the cause with $30,000 raised.

Ten Lives approached the State Government in 2020 during the height of the COVID pandemic to ask for help with this shovelready project. Premier Peter Gutwein and Minister Guy Barnett allocated $200,000 to the project in the Government’s November State Budget. They also gave our friends at the Dogs’ Homes of Tasmania $200,000 for significant upgrades to their facilities.

Making the announcement Minister Guy Barnett said the Tasmanian Government was providing both organisations a grant of $200,000 that will assist with their builds. “It’s a great outcome and a win for all, as it will help the Dogs’ Homes and Ten Lives organisations to continue providing for our furry friends while supporting local jobs and our economy as we continue to recover from COVID-19.”

Much work has been underway on our building project with our engineers, JSA, working through the complex structural and hydraulics work that comes with building on a site such as 12 Selfs Point Road.

It is a very exciting time as we finalise permits with Hobart City Council.

We are going to build!

The Board have committed funding to the project and we hope that work can commence on Stage 1 in June. As the work is starting offsite at Podmatrix in Cambridge, you won’t see much progress at Ten Lives, then all of a sudden, the building will appear! We will keep you posted through our social media and through future editions of the Scratching Post.

For everyone who has helped so far …thank you. A true community project where we are building cats in need a home they can count on.

Tasmanian Government
The 2020-21 State Budget will deliver vital infrastructure that is supporting jobs and benefitting the Tasmanian community right across the State. The Dogs’ Homes of Tasmania and Ten Lives Cat Centre do great work in caring for and rehoming dogs and cats, and the Budget locks in $200,000 each to assist them with critical upgrades over the 2020-21 period.