Racing club lays down the law to council
Taranaki Racing has doubled down on the threat of legal action to stop a sports hub being built in the middle of their New Plymouth racecourse.
In a measured but firm submission to New Plymouth District councillors at the final day of hearings on the council’s draft 10-year spending plan, Vaughan Watson said the racing club was totally opposed to any building in their oval.
Speaking on behalf of Taranaki Racing Inc, he renewed the threat of legal action if a multi-sport stadium was built there, a position the club first made clear in April.
Those weren’t the only fireworks in Watson’s submission yesterday.
He also accused the council of taking a ‘‘devious approach’’ for claiming the club’s name change voided their agreement that allowed them to occupy the racecourse.
The council itself had also been known as the borough council and the city council, Watson pointed out.
‘‘The racing club is the racing club and the council is the council.’’
Watson said the racing club had been agreeable to changing the act when the TSB Stadium ran into consent issues.
‘‘That was the spirit of that act of Parliament and that deed that we have, and that seems to have gone completely out the window.’’
Then it was councillor Anneka
Carlson’s turn to be told what was what.
Watson termed her a ‘‘rogue councillor’’ and claimed an ‘‘illinformed’’ opinion piece she wrote about the best future use of the racing facility in 2020 had ‘‘corrupted’’ a council survey on the issue.
In the survey, 51 per cent of the 2887 respondents wanted the racing club off the central city land. Just 25 per cent wanted a perpetual lease to be granted to the club.
In response to Watson’s allegations, Carlson said later she remained open-minded and welcomed all opinions.
Horse trainer Warren Bolton also made a submission, suggesting a better location in New Plymouth for the sports hub, perhaps in Westown using Yarrow Stadium, or at Sanders Park or even at Western Park.
His grandchildren had recently attended a 16-team basketball competition in Napier and been to five different venues, he told councillors.
There was also a suggestion from the Taranaki Equestrian Network’s Megan Gundesen that Bell Block’s Hickford Park area would be a better sports centre.
But there are still iwi considerations for that land.
Gundesen – who is involved with the pony club, which uses the raceway – argued against the Sport Taranaki-backed multi-sport hub needing to be central.
It made no difference if parents drove their kids five or ten minutes to their sports, she said.
‘‘As a parent of kids who have been involved in sports, kids don’t walk to their sports.’’
The hearing came to a close about 12.30pm.
‘‘It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be,’’ first-term councillor David Bublitz said.
‘‘I was expecting a bit more of probably a roasting, but it’s been a positive experience.’’
Councillor Stacey Hitchcock, who is going through her second LTP, found it incredible the amount of research and effort put into some submissions.
‘‘I think there’s been a crosssection of issues and ideas and projects raised.’’