Council focusing on overall sports strategy - 8/06/2006

Responding to comments by Wanganui Community Sports Centre chairman Paul Mitchell (Wanganui Chronicle, June 8), Council's Sport and Recreation Committee chair Philippa Baker-Hogan said the aim of the strategy would be to develop and consolidate facilities.

"The Community Sports Centre is doing a great job of managing and operating the Springvale and Jubilee stadiums," Cr Baker-Hogan said.

"However, their responsibilities do not include the development of the rest of Springvale Park as Mr Mitchell suggests. There are some major projects already under way, including the Splash Centre extension and the associated need to relocate the Masters Games building within Springvale Park.

"Springvale Park is owned by the Council and the Wanganui community – it is not the Community Sports Centre's role to develop the rest of the park. Any developments will require consultation with the community and work with stakeholders, including the Community Sports Centre. We want to move forward a comprehensive strategy for the future of sport and recreation facilities in Wanganui and this will involve many groups. As the owner of Springvale Park, the Council has a responsibility to consult widely on future developments."

Commenting on the need to re-roof the Jubilee Stadium, Cr Baker-Hogan said the Community Sports Centre was already making progress toward this.

"This is clearly part of their brief and we won't be getting in their way," she said.

"We are looking at the big picture – the sport and recreation needs of the whole of Wanganui, including those of our other major facility, Cooks Gardens. Any decisions on another stadium being built will be made through the Council's Sport and Recreation Committee. We have a group of enthusiastic councillors and knowledgeable outside experts on the committee who will be involved in the final decision."