Oldest hockey clubs now have the newest home
New Zealand’s ‘‘home of hockey’’ celebrated the opening of a new $2m water turf on Sunday. The Hinemoa-Kaiapoi and Rangiora hockey clubs are the oldest in the country but will call the newest turf their home in 2017.
Waimakariri District Councillor Robbie Brine, who holds the greenspace portfolio, was thrilled to see all the players of all ages from both clubs enjoying the turf. It is a major asset to North Canterbury hockey but Brine said the turf has far broader community benefits.
‘‘The people coming here to play will also be stopping to buy cups of coffee, stopping at the shops and restaurants.’’
With the council owning the land from the turf all the way to the golf club, Brine believes it’s just the start after the council approved the inclusion of design plans for a proposed indoor court in Rangiora in the 2017/18 Annual Plan.
‘‘We approved $100,000 in the budget on Thursday for further planning on an indoor stadium,’’ Brine said.
‘‘Some are of the view that a stadium is not affordable but we can’t afford not to [have one] with the dynamics of our district.’’
Brine said there is also a third turf on the books, in addition to Kendall Park and Coldstream Rd, but will depend on ‘‘which code puts up a case’’ for it.
Watching the next generation of players have the first hit on the turf made it worth the wait for Rangiora Hockey Club president, Kevin Gainsford.
‘‘Four years ago I didn’t think it was ever going to happen. It has and it was excellent to see the kids running around, having the first hit,’’ he said.
Both Gainsford and HinemoaKaiapoi president, Caroline Faass spoke of their excitement to see their club’s players out on the turf this summer, and Canterbury Hockey will also utilise the new facility.
Canterbury Hockey chief executive Rod Templeton said ‘‘the turf will be humming on the weekend’’ all season.
‘‘[The turf] is a superb community asset, not just for the local hockey players but the whole Canterbury hockey community,’’ Templeton said. From a hockey standpoint, Templeton said the benefits of the turf were two-fold; ‘‘playing games and growing the game locally’’.
Some of the top club hockey in the district will take place during the season with spectators getting a taste from the exhibition game on Sunday featuring premier men’s players. Templeton said the turf will be considered to host an international match, should Canterbury Hockey be given any to host.