Regional Indoor Sports & Event Centre Trust chairman Craig Waterhouse says the Taradale centre will be the third largest of its kind in NZ and see half a million visitors a year. Photo / Paul Taylor
Regional Indoor Sports & Event Centre Trust chairman Craig Waterhouse says the Taradale centre will be the third largest of its kind in NZ and see half a million visitors a year. Photo / Paul Taylor
A new $20 million dedicated community indoor sports arena being built in Taradale is 75 per cent complete, with another $3.5 million funding needed as of May.
The currently unnamed facility behind Pettigrew Green Arena will provide enough court space to create six basketball, futsal and netball courts or 12volleyball courts, and will open slightly later than planned.
Regional Indoor Sports & Event Centre Trust chairman Craig Waterhouse said the finish date for the building has moved to mid-September, pushed back from August due to Covid.
"The building is basically enclosed now, the doors will have to go on and they're building the amenities block. They'll have to finish off the civil works, car parking and all the driveways."
He estimates that the build is about 75 per cent complete. A 'roof shout' was held earlier this month.
Waterhouse said NZ Secondary Schools Sports Council data has revealed how important it was to invest in the indoor arena.
"Indoor sports are now bigger than grass-based sports in New Zealand at secondary school level."
Participation in indoor sports is up 41 per cent in 10 years and 74 per cent in 20 years, while grass-based sports have declined by 22 per cent in 10 years, according to NZSSSC data.
In 10 years, basketball participation was up 36 per cent, volleyball was up 41 per cent and futsal was up 328 per cent.
He said the 5900sq m indoor sports arena will be the third largest of its kind in New Zealand, surpassed only by ASB Sports Centre in Wellington and the B & M Centre in Palmerston North.
The building was the biggest indoor arena investment in the region ever.
"It's the biggest single investment in the future wellbeing of youth that has ever been made in Hawke's Bay".
He said his team estimates there will be 10,000 visitors per week and half a million annually.
Jove and his dad, Craig Ireson, were the first to purchase a seat in the new indoor sports arena in Taradale.
Individuals or businesses have the option of donating $250 to have their name on a plaque on a seat in the new arena to fundraise for seating.
Waterhouse said about 50 of the 350 seats had been donated so far, leaving about $75,000 worth of seats still available.
He said there won't be seating installed until they can raise the full amount but the arena will open for use either way.
He said they have a mid-court naming sponsor signed on so far, but they were still looking for sponsors for the full complex naming rights and various other parts.
The build was still within budget but the Regional Indoor Sports & Event Centre Trust was still short of fundraising the total amount.
The funding so far has included $6.4m from the Government's Infrastructure Reference Group (IRG) Covid Response and Recovery Fund, $4.1m from Napier City Council, $3.4m from New Zealand Lotteries Significant Projects & Community Facilities Funds, $350,000 from Royston Health Trust, and $200,000 from Eastern & Central Community Trust.
As well as this, an estimated $1.5 million in land from Napier City Council and over $1 million worth of land, land usage licensing and significant project people resources from EIT Hawke's Bay have been donated for the extension.
The playground next to Pettigrew Green Arena was donated to Waiohiki Marae, with installation work from moving it done by Berckets and Apollo free of charge.
