In a showcase of the community’s pride and spirit, hundreds of people have attended the formal opening of the $11.5 million Te Hiku Sports Hub this morning in Kaitaia, New Zealand, marking a significant milestone in the community’s development and wellbeing.
The project, supported by $3.6 million in grants from the Provincial Growth Fund, has been years in the making, and despite challenges such as COVID-19 and weather events, the completion of the hub is a testament to the resilience and collaboration of the local community.
Belgravia Leisure, Australia and New Zealand’s leading aquatic, leisure, tourism and wellness management specialist will manage the venue, with Nick Cox, CEO of Belgravia Leisure, attending the opening ceremony.
“It was an honour to be in Kaitaia this morning to attend the unveiling of the incredible Te Hiku Sports Hub. Our congratulations go to Project Manager Mark Osborne, Ester Hone from Water Safety New Zealand, and the entire team for their dedication to bringing this vision to life.
“Belgravia Leisure is proud to manage the Te Hiku Sports Hub in partnership with the Far North District Council. The hub boasts state-of-the-art facilities, including heated pools and a gym, which are set to enhance water safety, health and wellbeing in the region.
“Notably, this venue is Belgravia Leisure’s first trilingual venue, with signage in English, Māori and Dalmatian, reflecting the cultural diversity of the area,” Cox said.
Te Hiku Sports Hub Project Manager Mark Osborne paid tribute to the many people who had supported the project, from an initial idea roughly 28 years ago, to the new hub committee who got the project delivered.
Osborne told The New Zealand Herald, “It’s been a long time coming. The first crack at getting something like this was about 28 years ago, but that didn’t get off the ground. This particular crack has taken 13-14 years to get to this stage,” Osborne said.
Osborne said everybody would benefit from the sports hub, which is a community venue for all. “This project will really have many positive benefits for the health and wellbeing of the local community and will have a massive impact here.”
He said the sports complex was already proving a big asset because it was recently valued at $20 million, “Not a bad return for an $11.5m investment.”
Far North District Mayor Moko Tepania emphasised the impact of these new facilities, stating, “These are gold standard facilities that will improve the holistic wellbeing of our people and are something the whole community can enjoy and be proud of.”
Belgravia Leisure is committed to ensuring the Te Hiku Sports Hub remains a vibrant and inclusive space for the entire community.
The hub is already proving to be a go-to option for the community with a variety of sporting codes set to use its facilities including rugby, league, football, netball and hockey.
To learn more about the venue, visit the Te Hiku Sports Hub website.
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