Sports park use tops 230,000 people

The Hastings Pak'nSave Netball Centre was used by almost 120,000 people in the year to June.

The number of people using Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park has risen by 30 per cent year on year.

Numbers swelled to 231,000 in the year ended June and are forecast to be 250,000 in the next 12 months, while there are also plans for a new netball building at the park.

Sports Park chief executive Jock Mackintosh said the 2015 numbers were a 30 per cent increase on 2014.

"These numbers won't be a surprise to anyone who has been here on a Saturday - but it's not just Saturday," Mr Mackintosh said. "Netballers, hockey players, and cyclists are here every day of the week."

The facilities that attracted the most use were the Hastings Pak'nSave Netball Centre (119,000), The Unison Hockey Stadium (40,000), the William Nelson Athletics precinct (18,000) and the cycle track and skills course (15,000). Greater use is also coming from events.

"Waitangi Day is our biggest event and the Te Matatini kapa haka festival, which takes place in February 2017, is expected to attract around 30,000 spectators, so it will be huge," Mr Mackintosh said.

He said the growth was a result of supplying first class facilities and good management of the sporting codes.

"The Unison Hockey Stadium is world class and certainly the best in New Zealand so it's not surprising that we are getting increasing numbers there.

"Meanwhile, HB Netball has been voted best regional sports organisation for the past two years at the Hawke's Bay Sports Awards, so they are clearly doing a good job."

Mr Mackintosh said increasing numbers had created the "good problem" of congestion, but this was being addressed as funding allowed. Last month, Hastings District Council completed the extension of Percival Rd, creating a second entry and exit to the park, which had improved traffic flow.

Plans are under way for a new netball building, expected to open for the 2016 winter season.