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We are all in this together...
 South Taranaki is a fantastic place to live – it has many opportunities and great natural beauty. However, we need to ensure that our district is progressive, vital and provides the sorts of facilities and services that people expect in modern day New Zealand.
We have to do things to ensure that South Taranaki is a desirable place – where people want to live, work and play. We need to look to the future and the possibilities of what ‘can be’ – after all – we’re all in this together.
Old, substandard sports facilities at Hicks Park , Hawera, are long overdue for replacement and as a district South Taranaki needs a large, multi-purpose venue for sport, leisure and events.
Discussions about a multi-sports venue with facilities that will encourage greater participation across a range of codes have been going on for a number of years. The Council has also been aware that the district is missing out on the chance to host sports tournaments, hobbyist gatherings, expos and conferences.
This bold new initiative aims to provide a focus for sports that are currently based at Hicks Park and others that may wish to relocate to take advantage of the superb facilities that will be available. An artificial turf is planned, and the availability of three indoor courts will help attract sports tournaments that previously haven’t considered coming to South Taranaki .
the hub is a place where everything that should be happening to enhance the lifestyles of the people of South Taranaki will be happening – every day of the week, from morning till night and for everyone, regardless of age.
It’s a place where people of various abilities can get fit, play and watch sport, attend fairs, functions, conferences, events and concerts, enjoy a meal and a few drinks or simply socialise with family and friends.
It will bring our community closer together – keeping us fit, healthy, entertained and content with our choice to live in South Taranaki .
Sports, recreation and events – it all happens at the hub!
Mary Bourke
South Taranaki Mayor
David MacLeod is backing the hub!
 As managing director and owner of a South Taranaki business with more than 60 district employees, David MacLeod knows only too well how hard it is to attract and retain skilled staff.
He hopes the new leisure and events centre will help make South Taranaki a more attractive place to live, work and play, giving present and future staff and their families a greater sense of commitment to the district.
David is heading the Corporate fundraising group and hopes his business contacts and experience will help open doors to significant contributions from firms who share his concerns about the district’s skills shortages.
“As a district, and Hawera in particular, we are competing for staff with cities around New Zealand , and especially with New Plymouth. We can’t just sit back and watch New Plymouth develop an increasingly attractive range of facilities. We have to ask what it will take to make Hawera competitive, and I think the complex that’s going to be built at Hicks Park is a hugely important part of the mix.”
As well as the experience of growing Greaves to be a significant player in the district economy, David has been involved across a range of sports. “It’s obvious that the current facilities have become tired and run down, and I’ve been impressed with what other communities have provided over the years. I’ve wondered why South Taranaki hasn’t managed to get something similar in place to encourage greater participation in all sports and leisure activities.
“Now we have a great opportunity. I’m sure we’ll get the support of the large businesses that we have in the district, but there also needs to be real grassroots community buy-in. This really is about the future of our district, and I hope the majority of the community gets behind it.”
How can YOU help?
We’re aiming high! We’re going to deliver a sports & leisure complex that will serve many generations to come. This project needs people who are passionate about South Taranaki to contribute time, ideas, and cash. Together we can achieve a facility that everyone in the district can be proud of by a series of steps, big and small.
A core committee chaired by Cr Ross Dunlop is driving fundraising for the hub project. Its members are Mayor Mary Bourke , Council Chief Executive Craig Stevenson , business owner David MacLeod and South Taranaki Star editor David Bruce , project coordinator Phil Waite and communications manager Gerard Langford . Separate teams set up to focus on specific funding sources are: Corporate (chaired by David MacLeod), Community and Sports Groups ( David Bruce ), Iwi ( Phil Waite ) and Funding Agencies ( Gerard Langford ).
Donations from community and sporting organisations and businesses, as well as individuals, will go a long way to helping us achieve our fundraising goals. If you would like to know about how you can contribute financially, or with ideas for community fundraising, please call a member of our team:
 Ross Dunlop 027 447 0607 |
 Phil Waite 027 295 1983 |
 Gerard Langford 027 495 1166 |
the hub – an architect’s vision
These are concept drawings only and aspects of the hub design are constantly being refined to accommodate the needs of various groups of users...
A Centre for South Taranaki Sports, Events and Recreation
 the hub finally is becoming a reality as a centre for sports, events and recreation in South Taranaki district, after more than ten years of discussion and debate.
It will transform the existing substandard facilities at Hicks Park , Hawera, into a modern, spacious multi-purpose complex for regular district sports, leisure and events.
It will also help boost South Taranaki visitor numbers and economic activity by helping attract sports tournaments, concerts, arts performances, hobby meets, expos and many other one-off shows and events.
Fascinating facts about the hub
- It’s a $21.6 million project but the construction costs will not add to rates. South Taranaki District Council has agreed to contribute up to $13.6 million, which will come from the interest on its Long Term Investment Fund, making it the biggest project to be supported by the Fund since its inception eight years ago.
- Construction is planned in stages to accommodate fundraising efforts. The aim is for the first stage to start in early 2008 with an extension that will more than double the size of the existing facilities. Outdoor netball facilities are also planned in the first stage, which could be opened in late 2009.
- There’ll be outdoor facilities for netball, rugby, rugby league, hockey, touch, tennis, cricket and athletics. Indoors there’ll be basketball, netball, volleyball, tennis, skating and badminton, along with a whole range of other sports and activities.. Additional recreation features include a climbing wall and a fitness gym.
- Meeting rooms, catering facilities, small conferences, training facilities will all be provided for.
- Preliminary designs give Hawera High School students easy access to the complex for school-related sports and events.
- The existing Ngati Ruanui sports centre and Mt Egmont Alpine Club rooms will be relocated within Hicks Park as part of the redevelopment.
- The current concept also shows a new combined cricket pavilion and smallbore rifle range.
- The Hawera Motor Camp will be relocated to a site still to be chosen, to allow the development of a highly visible and exciting entrance to the complex off Waihi Rd.
- A fundraising campaign is now underway with community and council representatives in teams targeting corporate donors, community and sports groups and residents. Applications also will be made to a number of national and regional funding organisations including the Lottery Grants Board, gaming machine trusts and the TSB Community Trust. It is also anticipated that the Ministry of Education will contribute in recognition of the importance of the project to Hawera High School.
- Staff will be on-site to manage the complex and help people make the best use of the available facilities.
- There’ll be two indoor netball-sized courts with seating for up to 900 spectators. An upstairs function centre will have giant windows giving views of the action on the indoor courts and outside on the sports fields.
- A $3 million upgrade of the adjacent Powerco Aquatic Centre will happen next year alongside the hub project. The aim will be to enhance the fun and leisure aspects of the pool complex, with a long term goal of linking the two.
Ex-All Black gives the hub the thumbs up!
 Ex-All Black Frank Bunce, who’s putting his best foot forward on Dancing with the Stars, learned about the hub during a recent visit to Hawera for a sports quiz night at The Local bar.
He’s pictured, centre, with Keith Ranford, left, of The Local and Pelorus Trust manager Alister Skene.
Pelorus, a gaming machine trust, is among a number of national funding organisations that will be approached to contribute to the hub.
Get the hub look!
 Helen Neale shows off one of the hub tee shirts that are available for sale to raise funds. Order yours using the coupon below.
Stylish dark blue tee shirts in tough, quality fabric with the hub logo displayed are available for sale to help the fundraising effort.
The logo is on the front for standard scoop-neck tees and on the back for polo, Bob Charles-style shirts.
Click here for more information.
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