By CATHY ARONSON
TE AWAMUTU - After 30 years of debate, a $6.7 million pool and events centre for Te Awamutu has been approved by the Waipa District Council, despite claims that the complex is unwanted and unaffordable.
The community has been without a town centre since the original was demolished in the 1960s to make way for a borough council office development, which has since been converted into a public library and museum.
On Monday the council approved a tender by Livingstone Building to manage and construct the events centre, which should be open next year.
The council will inject $4 million into the project, $3 million from asset sales and $1 million from a loan.
The rest has been financed through business pledges of more than $2 million, including $480,000 from a fundraising trust.
But a spokesman for Waipa Local Democracy, Stewart McFarlane, said the centre would not attract enough users and ratepayers would be left with the bill.
The council has predicted an operating deficit of between $300,000 and $400,000, which will equate to a $6 to $8 rates increase per $100,000 of property capital value.
The council has also identified three areas of benefit, Te Awamutu, Pirongia and Kakepuku, where residents will pay $12 per $100,000 of land value instead towards the $1 million loan.
Mr McFarlane said 56 per cent of the district's population earned under $20,000 and could not afford the increase in rates for a centre which would be underused.
"There is a whole history of things going up in the district that people don't want. There is no growth in the district and if anything people will move out of the area of benefit to avoid paying increased rates."
However, Deputy Mayor Peter McCullough said the council already had confirmed user groups for the centre and might not be able to meet the demand.
He said the increased rates would not be a big burden on ratepayers and the community benefit would outweigh any costs.
"It's not going to send the rates sky high. The yearly cost will be less than what grandma spends on ice cream for her grandchildren each week.
"This will be a tremendous asset and will bring people into town. If we didn't do it, we would only go backwards."
Mr McCullough said construction should begin as early as this week.
The events centre will include two basketball and indoor netball courts and 1000 retractable seats. The pool complex will include an eight-lane indoor pool, a learners' pool, hydroslides and a hydrotherapy spa pool.
Events centre consent caps 30-year debate
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