Revamped centre celebrates birthday
It is year since the revamped Walter Nash Centre was opened and to celebrate they are giving away water containers.
From October 13, the Taitabased facility has been supplying locals taking part in regular activities with free 10 litre water containers.
‘‘We saw our first birthday as not only a significant achievement to celebrate, but also a way of saying thank you to those undertaking regular activities at the centre by way of an important gift,’’ centre manager Lesley Slieker said.
In the event of Lower Hutt’s water supply being cut off, residents could be without drinking water for up to seven days and each person needed at least three litres of drinking water a day.
A large sticker on each container lists the most important survival items residents should have at hand in the event of an emergency. It also lists how to store each 10 litre container and that the water be replaced at the start and end of daylight savings.
More than 750,000 visitors had visited the centre since it opened 12 months ago, whether it was to watch sports, exercise at the Fitness Suite, enjoy the cafe or use Taita Library.
‘‘Some of the national and regional sporting events we have held have seen many famous sporting faces enter our doors, which has been amazing for this community, especially the kids,’’ Slieker said.
Some sport stars, such as basketballer Steven Adams, had stopped by.
During Polyfest students from all over the Hutt Valley performed to a packed house and the men’s national netball and secondary schools netball championships kept the centre extremely busy over the past month.
The Walter Nash Stadium was built in 1975.
It was renamed the Walter Nash Centre 12 months ago as part of a significant upgrade to become a world-class, multipurpose centre.
The $12 million renovation boosted the number of covered netball courts to five and also included a larger library, a fitness suite, several community meeting rooms and a cafe.