Sport and Recreation Facilities Strategy

Published on 04 March 2019

Whanganui District Council and Sport Whanganui have been working collaboratively on a draft Sport and Recreation Facilities Strategy and now want input from the wider Whanganui public.

The Council’s General Property Manager, Leighton Toy, says, “The Council, Sport Whanganui and Sport New Zealand have been working as a team over the past four years on a plan for the future of sport and recreation in the Whanganui District, with a particular focus on the future funding of facilities.

“A shared vision of high-quality, financially sustainable and well-used sports and recreation facilities has been developed after extensive consultation with local sports clubs and organisations, facility providers (including schools) and the Council’s Youth Committee.

“A number of public meetings and community surveys have also taken place,” Mr Toy says.

The vision identifies four goals:

• Whanganui’s sports facilities need to be able to attract and host a range of local and regional events.
• The Council’s investment decisions should be well-judged based on the requirements of the Whanganui District.
• The Whanganui community’s sporting facilities should increasingly be centralised around suitable hubs.
• These facilities should be designed, maintained and used in a way that allows the residents of Whanganui to participate in and benefit from sporting and recreational activities.

“Whanganui has a rich sports heritage and a wealth of sporting facilities. However, the majority of Council-owned facilities are classed as ageing and represent significant future costs in terms of their maintenance, replacement or disposal,” Mr Toy says.

“The Council also receives considerable funding requests for the upgrading or replacement of facilities from other Whanganui sports organisations.

“Community dissatisfaction with Council-owned sports grounds was highlighted in the Council’s 2018 Community Views Survey. It’s important this hurdle is cleared.

“The ball is now in the wider Whanganui community’s court to provide feedback on the draft Sport and Recreation Facilities Strategy,” Mr Toy says.

To make a submission please visit www.whanganui.govt.nz/haveyoursay to view the draft Sport and Recreation Facilities Strategy 2019 document and complete the online form.

Hard copies of the document and submission form are also available from Sport Whanganui at 40 Maria Place Extension, the Council’s temporary Customer Services area at 179 St Hill Street, the Davis Central City Library and Gonville Café Library.

You can also email your thoughts to policysubmissions@whanganui.govt.nz or drop your completed submission form into the Council's temporary Customer Services area at 179 St Hill Street.

Submissions close at 5.00pm on Friday, 12 April 2019.