Te Puke Sports' grandstand opens with gala event

Bay of Plenty artist Patrick Gibbons has created a portrait of All Black captain Ian Kirkpatrick that will be auctioned at the official opening of Te Puke Sports' new grandstand.

A potpourri of entertainment will mark the official opening of Te Puke Sports' newly built grandstand tomorrow.

The grandstand, built to accommodate seats bought from Christchurch's earthquake damaged Lancaster Park, has been a major undertaking for the club that is keen to send the message that it is a community facility for Te Puke. That is reflected in the community participation in the opening.

The event starts at 3.45pm and will feature a blessing, kapa haka performances, Indian dance, children's rugby, a kabati demonstration, choirs and the ribbon cutting by club stalwarts Murray and Heather Salt.

Te Puke Volunteer Fire Brigade and St John Ambulance will have stands and Te Puke & District Highland Pipe Band will play.

''It is just to express that this grandstand has been funded by community funding groups and sponsors and, while the grandstand is Te Puke Sports' grandstand, the big signal we are sending out is it's a community facility,'' says project co-ordinator Rick Hannay.

He says the club has traditionally let community groups use the facilities at no charge except for paying for power if the lighting is used.

After the afternoon event, there will be a formal dinner with guest speakers Eric Rush and All Black captain Ian Kirkpatrick.

As part of the dinner there will be an auction featuring a pair of boxing gloves signed by Joseph Parker, TJ Perenara's All Black jersey signed by the current Bledisloe Cup squad, a wall-hanging mural depicting the history of Te Puke Sports and two a portraits of, and signed by, Ian Kirkpatrick by Bay of Plenty artist Patrick Gibbons.

Rick says there has already been considerable interest in the portraits.