Clubs concerned for future if stadium goes ahead

Tauranga sport clubs with more than a century of tradition could be displaced if a proposed stadium becomes a reality.

A feasibility study for a boutique stadium at the Tauranga Domain in central Tauranga was recently released.

Plans for the $170 million stadium show that the Tauranga Bowls Club, Tauranga Croquet Club and Athletics Tauranga would all lose their facilities. Tennis, cricket and rugby facilities would remain or be enhanced.

The concept "people's stadium" would be three sided with vistas toward Mauao and have 8000 permanent seats with the ability to bump that up to 10,000 with temporary seating.

Clubrooms and a 1000sq m function space were included, with a hybrid turf suitable for rugby, league, football and touch.

It could be used for sports, exhibitions and concerts as well as host up to 40,000 people for music festivals.

Tauranga City Council agreed the project should continue to a detailed business case and supported Tauranga Domain as the best location for a stadium during a meeting last week.

The stadium project began in 2018 and is led by the Western Bay of Plenty economic development agency Priority One.

Priority One Chief executive Nigel Tutt said the organisation had consulted with user groups since the beginning of the process.

"We had a hui with groups that may be affected earlier this month and will continue discussions as further analysis continues about the potential use of the space," he said.

The community sports groups told Local Democracy Reporting they would prefer to keep their current facilities because of the central location and history on the site.

Tauranga Domain houses the only synthetic athletics track in Tauranga and it used by three athletics clubs and thousands of school children.

Athletics Tauranga president Ruth Tuiraviravi said if the club had to relocate to Mount Maunganui or Pāpāmoa it would "it would collapse the sport and the club".

"The domain where it presently is, has such easy access for our community and we want it [athletics] readily available to the community and the location is perfect," she said.

If relocation were to occur, the non-negotiables for the club are the facilities have to remain on the same side of town and the synthetic track be replaced, as it was needed in a city the size of Tauranga, said Tuiraviravi.

The club remains positive that if relocation happened there could be benefits such as new gear shed and other wish list items.

"There's opportunities that I think if we focus on them, could build a real sense of excitement," she said.

This year marks 100 years at the domain for the Tauranga Croquet Club, it has four croquet lawns and 90 members.

Club president Gretchen Benvie said she would be "very disappointed" if the club was relocated.

"We have discussed possible relocation should the stadium have an impact on our facility," she said. "They've also discussed bizarre options, like operating on this site at half the current size. With the growing number of members, that's just not feasible."

Benvie said it has also been suggested the club amalgamate with the Mount Maunganui club, but that also wasn't feasible because of space and the number of members.

The club had hosted world championships in conjunction with the Mount club was poised to hold the under 21 world golf croquet championship in 2023.

Benvie said members were worried they would lose the central location because many of them lived in close proximity to the club.

"It's better to be playing sport than watching sport. Especially for this age group."

She was also concerned about the impact the stadium would have on green space.

"It's not just the displacement, possibly off the athletics track, the bowls and the croquet. It would be the destruction of a beautiful open green space, which is so well used."

Tauranga Lawn Tennis Club president Philip Brown also wants the green space retained.

"We don't believe that that green space should be built on any more than it is," said Brown.

"It's needed to be kept for the future of downtown, which is going to be high intensity housing, which will need a space for relaxation and a space to play community sports."

"You've just got to think about Central Park in New York, if they built on that every time people must've had an idea, we wouldn't have Central Park."

If the current proposal for the stadium were to go ahead the tennis club would remain untouched, but Brown said it would "destroy all the parking".

"It's no good having a tennis club without parking."

Tutt of Priority One said they want the space to reflect the wants and needs of the community and green space will be considered as further analysis takes place.

"Green space is very important to us, and we recognise it is important to the public that we retain green spaces and highlight the region's rich culture," he said.

Paul Hunt, president of the Tauranga Bowls Club was more relaxed about the stadium.

"It's a feasibility study at this stage and we're encouraged by the fact that the council want to have open discussions with all of the interested parties," he said.

Tutt said discussions with the user groups are ongoing and it was important to remember that no final decisions had been made.

"If the stadium does progress, we are committed to supporting groups to find suitable alternatives to what they currently have at the domain," he said.

"The current phase of the feasibility study investigating a possible multi-use community stadium for Tauranga has recommended a location and an initial concept be advanced for further analysis and consultation."

"Once plans have been sufficiently developed, there will be wider public engagement as part of the next annual plan process and before any decisions are made.

"We expect the 'people's stadium' concept will be a big asset to the city and will enhance public accessibility," said Tutt.

If the stadium were to go ahead its expected completion date is 2026.

Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air