Pavilion’s doors open
The people behind a brand new community hub are seeing their dream come to fruition.
Randwick Park’s pavilion in Riverton Dr opens to the public on August 27.
Locals began pushing for the facility in 2008 after Navtej Singh was shot and killed during a robbery of his liquor store near Riverton Reserve.
The building will be used for sport, cultural gatherings and social enterprise.
It features changing and meeting rooms, a multi-purpose space, a large kitchen and an office.
Among those who backed the project are Manurewa Local Board chairwoman Angela Dalton, former board chairman Daniel Newman, Wiri Licensing Trust chairman Alan Johnson and Randwick Park Residents’ Association chairwoman Maree Beaven.
‘‘Our vision is for people to come up with great ideas about what can be run here,’’ Beaven says.
‘‘We’ve got people champing at the bit asking when they can use it. We want to start slowly so people can get involved.’’
Dalton says the pavilion’s construction is an example of the power of partnership.
‘‘This is about what you can achieve when people work together. Residents will decide what is run out of this building.
‘‘This is as close to community empowerment as you can get.’’
Newman says the building’s backers were keen to tackle the area’s ‘‘infrastructure deficits’’.
‘‘When Navtej Singh got shot, the response was about the community showing up and being bloody-minded.
‘‘We weren’t going to accept excuses. Randwick Park was isolated and that was unacceptable.’’
Johnson has been advocating for the pavilion for years through his role as an executive member of the Manurewa Marlins Rugby League Club. Six of the club’s junior teams began training at Riverton Reserve in 2010.
The opening and naming of the Randwick Park pavilion is from 6.30am to 1pm on August 27 and includes a scooter competition and free food and bouncy castles. I will surely vote. My main concern is the policies and how the government has been reacting to housing issues.