The Tūparikino Active Community Hub has a refreshed road map for 2023.

The project pause discussed in December 2022 ended and work has since continued to bring the community wellbeing and sporting asset to life.

With global fiscal pressures continuing to bite, construction cost escalation and evolving funding and design requirements the required budget for the two- stage project has been revised from $91m to $110m.

To accommodate this and allow for more funding and political certainty the original construction start date for the turf complex, previously set for later this year, has been deferred while the construction start date for the Hub building remains at October 2024. The remaining construction schedule will depend on construction logistics and funding arrangements.

The project is well placed to attract Central government support and the full extent of this will be clear by the end of June 2023. The project will then be consulted on during the New Plymouth District Council’s Long Term Plan process later this year.

Tūparikino Active Community Hub Independent Chair Lyal French-Wright said the revised project timing would maximise funding and design options.

“This is positive news for the project, which has been strongly positioned by our community. I would like to acknowledge the vision, patience and hard work of many people involved with this major project as we continue to bring it to reality. It is vital we hold steady and keep working together to get the result our community deserves and wants.”

New Plymouth District Mayor Neil Holdom said having a decision regarding central government funding and firmer costings and designs ready for feedback later this year will allow for the best decisions to be made as part of the next Long Term Plan process.

In 2021 NPDC agreed to contribute $40m Capex and $11m Opex to the project, with the balance being sourced from external partners and grants.

“We’ll share these updated costings and plans with residents for feedback at the end of the year, as we discuss our draft 10-year (Long-term Plan) budget with the public. At the forefront of our mind is balancing the desire to provide modern facilities to support healthy lifestyles with keeping the project affordable for our ratepayers.”

Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa CEO Dion Tuuta said there was a continued commitment to working collaboratively as part of the project. 

“We support our local hapū and community to realise the Hub as a place for everyone in a way that moves far beyond sport,” he said.

Sport Taranaki CEO Michael Carr said the community need and demand for the project was growing as time passed and the project partners would continue to be a vital part of planning and progress.

According to Sport New Zealand’s Insights Tool overall, 29.7% of people in the New Plymouth District are inactive, 3.9% more than the national average. New Zealanders commonly cite cost and lack of time as barriers to physical activity, two issues which hubbing together helps to solve, Carr said. 

“This Hub is a real collective community effort here that will create something to benefit the whole province. It will increase the ability for people to participate in healthy, physical activity that works for them. It will be a regional hub and become a place of wellbeing and belonging,” he said

Read more:https://www.sporttaranaki.org.nz/get-active-kia-kore/tuparikino-active-community-hub
 

Article added: 3 March 2023