Artist impression of what the new Matamata Indoor Sports and Recreation Hub will look like once it's completed. Photo / Matamata-Piako District Council
Artist impression of what the new Matamata Indoor Sports and Recreation Hub will look like once it's completed. Photo / Matamata-Piako District Council
Matamata man Bruce Magan donated $1 million to help get a sports centre built in the town. Now, 16 years after planning began, the project is close to getting under way.
The Matamata Indoor Sports and Recreation Hub now has an estimated price tag of $11.4 million, but a project manager has been appointed, and a construction contract is expected to be signed by August.
The hub will include a dual-court indoor gym, an international-quality, multi-purpose indoor space, administration and service areas, changing rooms, and storage.
The project was estimated to cost $6.5m two years ago, but construction costs have risen rapidly.
However, the local community has rallied behind the organisations backing the initiative, which include the Board of Matamata College, Matamata Futures (the charitable trust behind the Hub), the Ministry of Education, and Matamata-Piako District Council. Almost $9m has been raised for the project so far.
An impression of the approach to the Matamata Indoor Sports and Recreation Hub. Photo / Matamata-Piako District Council
Magan is a Matamata Futures trustee and a driving force behind the project for the past 16 years. He invested $1m into the project early on.
He has lived in Matamata his whole life and ran his own roofing and plumbing company for more than four decades before retiring.
“When I retired I had no idea what to do and thought, ‘Matamata has been really good to me, so I’ll give something back’. I put aside some money and that’s how it started.”
The new community facility would be built on Ministry of Education land at Matamata College.
Bruce Magan, the driving force behind the Hub, said it would bring greater opportunities to Matamata.
The college has two gymnasiums, but both will be demolished and replaced by the Hub, which the college could use during school hours.
Matamata College Board of Trustees chairman Craig Alexander told the Waikato Herald the gymnasiums would have needed an injection of funds to bring them up to standard within 10 years anyway, because they were old.
He said the project was significant for the growth of students.
“Our No 1 role is to enhance the opportunities for our students, and I think it’s awesome to provide world-class facilities for our students.
“The Hub fosters a sporting culture that we’ve excelled at. An important part of our curriculum and culture within our school is sport; it’s not just about reading, writing and maths.”
An impression of what the indoor dual-court gym will look like.
He said both the school and the community of Matamata would benefit from the project.
“We’re just one high school community besides the private schools, but we see this school as an important hub within our whole community.
“There are many employment opportunities at the school and within our community, so the link between both is paramount to our community growth.”
Ministry of Education head of property, infrastructure and digital Sam Fowler said the Hub was a good project.
This image shows where the entrance of the Hub will be.
“The two existing gymnasiums at Matamata College require investment in response to their condition, so the opportunity to contribute to a new co-owned community facility is a good alternative option.”
Fowler said the council, Matamata Futures Trust, and the board of Matamata College will be in charge of facility usage.
Bruce Magan said it would be the first time Matamata has had an indoor facility of international standard.
“We’ve never had a compliant stadium because there are different codes for international requirements. Three acts I can think of are netball, basketball, and badminton.
“So many people have to travel out of town to go to a certain competition, they wouldn’t have to with the Hub, and it can also be a destination for international or national championships.
Magan said the Hub would bring greater opportunities to Matamata.
“I’m excited for the future generation because I’ve played enough sport to understand the good that comes with it in terms of the opportunities it offers to locals.
“I’m conscious of the struggling families that can’t afford to leave town all the time to go to competitions; this Hub is good because they won’t have to so often.”
Artist impression of the Matamata Hub with car parks. Photo / Matamata-Piako District Council
He said after 16 years in the making, it would be exciting when the construction of the Hub physically got under way.
“We’ve had two recessions nationwide since and plenty of ups and downs. Our progress has been knocked back for reasons beyond our control.
“I’ll feel better when I see it actually has happened to be perfectly honest, and I’ll be more excited when I see the [construction contract] stamp on paper.”
Fowler from the Ministry of Education said the project had raised $8.5m so far.
“This includes a $3m investment from MPDC, $2m allocation of funds by the Ministry of Education, $500,000 from Trust Waikato, with the balance being donated by members of the community,” he said.
“The Ministry of Education funding remains subject to the project achieving key milestones.”
The Te Whare Whakapakari/Matamata Indoor Sports and Recreation Hub will be located at Matamata College with its entrance off Station Rd.
Construction for the Hub is set to commence this year with a contract in place by August, and project completion by 2026.
