Tūparikino hub gets top-level backing
One of New Zealand’s top sporting officials flew into New Plymouth yesterday to challenge district councillors to get cracking and build the “overdue” Tūparikino Active Community Hub.
Sport New Zealand boss Raelene Castle made sure that no-one could doubt her organisation’s stance on the proposed multimillion-dollar hub when she addressed New Plymouth District councillors on the second day of submission hearings for the draft Long-term Plan.
“We are hugely in support of the Tūparikino proposal,” she said.
She believed the proposed hub was well overdue, had been talked about for far too long, and that the district and region had suffered because of inadequate sports facilities.
Castle, who had held several high-profile jobs, such as head of Australia Rugby, said young people were crying out for decent sports facilities across the country where they could connect, engage in physical activity with their mates, and grasp a sense of community.
“Without them even realising it or understanding it, they are looking for a social connection, which helps them from a wellbeing perspective and their own mental outcomes.”
When communities had the opportunity to access great sports facilities, they saw happier, healthier young people who became better learners and went on to do more, she said.
The hub was originally proposed as a $91 million multi-sport venue which included in-field facilities, sports fields, pavilions and artificial turfs inside the New Plymouth racecourse, as well as a new sixcourt indoor stadium.
However, the first stage of the project had been flipped around because of budget blow-outs and a lack of funding. It was now proposed to build the indoor stadium next to the existing TSB Stadium.
The council had already committed $35m for the project three years ago but had now decided to make it one of its “big calls” in this year’s draft Long-term Plan to gauge public support for the facility.
Castle told the council that now was the time to get on with the project.
She cited Southland as an example of what could be achieved through building a modern sports hub facility and the massive benefits the region was enjoying from it.
Her view was backed up by Sport New Zealand regional partnerships manager Colin Stone, a former Sport Hawke’s Bay chief executive, who said that the new Rodney Green Foundation Arena in Taradale had seen huge growth in participation numbers.
The arena, which was built next to the area’s existing indoor sports stadium, provided an extra six basketball and netball courts, 12 volleyball courts and three futsal courts inside the 5900m² space, which had seen a 270% increase in participation numbers.
Castle told the council members it was in an enviable position to have the location at the racecourse for Tūparikino.
“I’ve never seen such an example across New Zealand where you can have 4000 young people within a 2km walking distance from this facility,” she said.
It was also a venue where children could leave school and safely get to their destination.
“I think it’s amazing that you have got an opportunity with this facility,” she said.
“You have an opportunity to be brave and what this could provide your city is an opportunity to be best in class.”
Submission hearings had been scheduled to continue until Tuesday morning.