By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon (left) and North Canterbury Sport and Recreation Trust chairperson Don Robertson at the stadium's opening in August 2021. Photo: Supplied / Waimakariri District Council
Rangiora's Mainpower Stadium is asking for a $100,000 a year cash injection to ensure its long-term financial security.
The North Canterbury Sport and Recreation Trust, which manages the stadium, is seeking the funding as part of the Waimakariri District Council's 2024/34 Long Term Plan.
The extra funds would help cover the costs of maintaining the sports courts on behalf of the community.
The state of the art facility was built by the council at a cost of $28 million, opening in August 2021, with the trust entering into a lease agreement with the council.
Trust chief executive Michael Sharp said if the trust hired the courts out at commercial rates it might be sustainable, but it would make it unaffordable for community organisations.
Facility manager Paul Dunn said bookings for the courts were strong, attracting national and regional events, as well as the Crusaders rugby team for training, and the Tactix netball team for training and national games.
The facility has four large basketball courts and is marked out for basketball, netball, volleyball, korfball, pickleball, futsal and badminton, being played on a technology sprung floor.
The courts were regularly booked out by community and school groups, especially during the week, Dunn said.
Pickleball was popular, with the stadium set to host two tournaments in the coming months, catering for all ages and attracting participants from throughout Canterbury and beyond.
The council's community and recreation general manager, Chris Brown, said a management agreement would replace the existing lease agreement under the proposed funding package.
The new agreement would apply to the indoor courts, administration area and function room, while the fitness centre and cafe, and rooms hired to Active Health would remain subject to a lease agreement.
"We know that sports courts don't make money and that is why ratepayers put in money to have those facilities," Brown said.
"The original philosophy was we thought the costs of running the courts could be offset from the revenue from the fitness centre and the cafe.
"We have worked very closely with the trust, and we realised it wasn't going to be sustainable long term, so we have looked at solutions."
Brown said the council planned to offset some of the extra funding through installing solar panels on the stadium roof to power the facility.
He estimated it would save $42,000 a year in electricity costs.
The trust manages five fitness centres in Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Oxford and Amberley, as well as Mainpower Stadium.
Trust chairperson Don Robertson said proceeds from the fitness centres and fundraising were used to fund community programmes such as sports coaching in schools and the "Reactivate programme", to help people improve their health and wellbeing.
Mayor Dan Gordon said he would support the extra funding as the trust played an important role in the community.
"If the trust wasn't running those programmes we would have groups knocking on our door looking for support, so we need the trust to be sustainable."
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
