K'aute Pasifika to take over Hamilton bowling club site

Hamilton City elected members along with Chief executive Richard Briggs (front left). Photo / Supplied

A K'aute Pasifika proposal to occupy the Stadium Bowling Club site in Hamilton won support from the city council at a community and services committee meeting last week.

The council-owned site, in Mill St opposite FMG Stadium, became available after the bowling club terminated its lease last year.

The Council has supported the proposal and directed staff to work with K'aute on the design of the hub to ensure consistency with Hamilton's West Town Belt Masterplan, and also for K'aute to complete a range of regulatory compliance aspects.

K'aute Pasifika is a social, health and education services organisation, and its proposal is to construct a Pasifika and cultural hub on the site, including a large fale.

The council is developing the West Town Belt Masterplan, and K'aute Pasifika will work closely with the council on the design of the hub to ensure consistency with the masterplan and its principles.

Councillor Paula Southgate had to use her casting vote as chairwoman to push back an amendment that, if passed, would have made council wait on making a decision until the West Town Belt Masterplan had come back before council in March 2019.

She said K'aute Pasifika had waited long enough for a new venue. "If you see the size of the current kitchen where they feed hundreds of families, you would be amazed," Ms Southgate said.

There were three other applications put forward for the site, including a WaiBOP indoor football centre and a park.

Councillor Mark Bunting was angered at the process council was following, with council making a decision on the site before the West Town Belt Masterplan is brought back to council.

"I would challenge any councillor in this chamber who has complained once about process not being followed, to think very hard about what is being done here today," Mr Bunting said.

"It is not good enough to me to replace one process with another convenient process."
Councillor Geoff Taylor supported councillor Bunting's comments, but also had a different vision for the area.

"I don't support K'aute Pasifika being the lead applicant there. We are undertaking a review of the West Town Belt and we are asking the public for their views, and I think we should wait."

He also said his vision for the site was for more of a sporting precinct. "I believe the WaiBOP proposal fits better on that site."

Councillor Ryan Hamilton supported the K'aute Pasifika plan and said the recommendation was not binding and did not jeopardise work to be done in the West Town Belt.

The community and services committee Councillors Leo Tooman, Garry Mallett, Bunting and Taylor were against the motion. Martin Gallagher, Siggi Henry, Southgate and Hamilton were for it.