Clubs take a stand against proposed Tauranga stadium

Tauranga Croquet Club president Gretchen Benvie. Photo / John Borren / Sun Media

Community sports clubs that could be displaced if a stadium is built on the Tauranga Domain are standing firm on their desire to stay put.

A business case is underway for a $170 million stadium at the domain in central Tauranga, which if built would require the relocation of the Tauranga Bowls Club, Tauranga Croquet Club and the athletics facilities.

The stadium forms part of Tauranga City Council’s recently released Active Reserves Masterplans for Baypark, Blake Park and the Tauranga Domain.

Tauranga Croquet Club president Gretchen Benvie was “disturbed and concerned” that the club could need to relocate, but a suitable site hasn’t been found or offered by the council, she said.

“We won’t just take it lying down. We are a very strong club.”

The club celebrated its 100th birthday this year and has a lease until 2029. In the proposed plan the facilities would be replaced with a carpark and two tennis courts.

Benvie said the club has 75 members and was growing, with the croquet lawns used six days a week.

“We’re not just a bunch of little old ladies who meet occasionally.”

The club has hosted world championships in conjunction with the Mount Maunganui Croquet Club and they will hold the under-21 world golf croquet championship in 2023.

“There’s more to it than just relocating a croquet club if we are lucky enough to be relocated. You can’t just expect us to fold up and go away,” said Benvie.

The Tauranga Croquet Club formed the “Hands off Tauranga Domain” alliance with the Tauranga Lawn Tennis Club, Tauranga Millennium Track Trust and the Bay of Plenty Speedway Association, which are all affected by the council’s masterplans.

The Tauranga Millennium Track Trust raised $1.7m to build the all-weather athletics track in 2008 and don’t want to see it “ripped up” for a stadium.

Trust member Garth Mathieson said: “It’s a world-class athletics track that the council are proposing to demolish.”

As part of the masterplans, the council would build a new track and athletics facilities at Baypark in Mount Maunganui. But Mathieson said the proposed site wasn’t suitable because part of the land was swampy and flooded, plus it was too small.

“You could fit the actual track inside that area, but by the time you add the grandstand on, curtilage and room for people to watch on both sides it’s not big enough.”

It was also situated next to a transfer station, and sewage treatment plant, with two fertiliser businesses nearby making it a “totally unsuitable area,” said Mathieson.

Trust chairman Malcolm Taylor said the track was used year-round by schools and athletics clubs and some clubs indicated they wouldn’t travel to Baypark if the relocation occurred.

If the stadium plans proceed the Tauranga Lawn Tennis Club would have two of its courts relocated to make way for another entrance and parking.

Club president Philip Brown said: “Rearranging our courts does not work one little bit because we have an ideal arrangement from a tournament point of view.

“All surfaces are the same, all people play much the same sun angle and it’s really good from a spectator point of view.”

The alliance also had the wider community in mind wanting the domain to remain a greenspace for the city, said Brown.

“We want the park to remain a green space for community sports.”

All three domain users have echoed their frustration at a “lack of consultation” from the council.

Tauranga Millennium Track Trust members Garth Mathieson and Malcolm Taylor. Photo / Alisha Evans / Sun Media

Brown said: “We are really annoyed about the absolute lack of consultation, we’ve just been told what’s going to happen.”

Local Democracy Reporting put the users’ concerns to the council, but it did not respond directly to them.

Instead, it referred LDR to a previous statement made by commissioner Stephen Selwood.

The Active Reserves Masterplans for Baypark, Blake Park and the Tauranga Domain were a “key part” of a wider network plan for investment in active reserves across the city, he said. This was to ensure the reserves continued to meet the needs of the growing city far into the future, said Selwood.

“It’s important to recognise that these are outline plans which are just the first step on this journey.

“We have listened to the feedback from the groups whose activities could potentially be affected and we are committed to working with all stakeholders as we go through the feasibility, business case and design processes required before any changes are implemented.

“The intent of the masterplans is to improve active recreation facilities and opportunities and as such, our expectation is that the changes outlined would create positive outcomes for clubs, other stakeholders and the community.

“We’ve made it clear that this is a long-term masterplan and is subject to meeting all of the council’s obligations to engage, consult and meet all lease and legal requirements,” said Selwood.

The masterplans also included relocating Baypark Stadium, which is home to Tauranga’s speedway, by 2029. At this stage, a site for relocation has not been identified. At Blake Park in Mount Maunganui the rugby and cricket fields would be upgraded, additional grass fields added, the tennis courts reconfigured, and the netball courts would be relocated to Baypark. According to the council’s website the goal was to present detailed concept and investment plans for the three sites to the commissioners in March 2023.

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