The removal of the public stand at New Plymouth Raceway is a major milestone the Tūparikino Active Community Hub project. Photo: Supplied / NPDC
- First stage of the Tūparikino Active Community Hub will feature a new six-court indoor stadium
- Cost to ratepayers is $50 million
- The stadium is due to open in late 2027
- The hub will share the site with Taranaki Racing, which has a 33-year lease.
The demolition of the public stand at the New Plymouth Raceway marks a major milestone in the development of a much-debated $50 million sports hub in the city, according to project organisers.
The removal of the stand will open the way for the construction of a six-court indoor stadium, the first stage of the Tūparikino Active Community Hub, a project designed to enhance sports and recreation opportunities in Taranaki.
The hub, the first phase of which was due to be complete in late 2027, would operate alongside New Plymouth Raceway which would continue to hold race meetings.
New Plymouth deputy mayor David Bublitz, who has championed the project, said it was exciting to see work underway.
David Bublitz. Photo: New Plymouth District Council
"The removal of the stand brings us closer to delivering a modern multi-sports facility that will serve the people of Taranaki, for generations to come."
Tūparikino had been scaled back from original plans that would have seen the entire inside of the New Plymouth Raceway redeveloped and turf laid for hockey and football fields, 10 or 12 outdoor netball courts as well as the indoor stadium.
Bublitz, who has a lengthy basketball CV including coaching age-group New Zealand sides and the Taranaki Mountain Airs, said that was a pragmatic move following inflationary pressures following Covid-19.
"Covid came around and the costs blew out somewhat, quite a lot actually, and as responsible governors a lot of the councillors, including myself, knew the entire project wasn't doable at that stage just wasn't feasible."
The original plan had blown out in price from $90 million to an estimated $130 million.
Bublitz said he stood for the New Plymouth District Council (NPDC) to help what he saw as a faltering project across the line.
"There was a little bit of concern with the Yarrow Stadium rebuild getting the green light from the Taranaki Regional Council this project was falling by the wayside.
"I was up there at the existing TSB Stadium three or four days a week and seeing not only the popularity of basketball, but volleyball and the needs of indoor netball and the needs of all the other sports in terms of futsal, pickleball etc and just understood the lack of space we have in this town."
The $50 million would pay for the demolition of the New Plymouth Raceway stand, groundworks and the building of a six-court stadium including office space adjacent to the TSB Stadium.
Sport Taranaki CEO Michael Carr said it was a significant milestone.
"It's tremendously exciting for the community. I think this has always been a vision where it's a place for the community to gather and be active.
"So, I think it's just really wonderful to see the community coming together here and making another significant step forward."
He said a 2018 needs assessment also found Taranaki lacked facilities for several indoor sporting codes and hockey.
"It's hugely deficient in basketball, volleyball. We were also really deficient in netball for adult indoor competition and then hockey was also high on the agenda."
New Plymouth has just one hockey turf. Players often have to travel to Stratford, a 30-minute drive.
Carr said hockey would be the first cab off the rank in further developments.
"So, the indoor is definitely the early phase of stage one and then finding a suitable solution for hockey has to be really closely aligned to this phase because they definitely need another turf."
Taranaki Racing Incorporated (TRI) worked closely with the NPDC to ensure the racing could operate alongside the Tūparikino Active Community Hub as it took shape.
Horse training and racing would continue under a new lease arrangement, which included measures to separate public access from horse-related activities.
The layout also featured a new event space for race days, which was expected to offer an area that could incorporate marquees and food trucks.
TRI chief executive Anna Duncan said it was fantastic to reach an outcome that enabled racing to continue while also making way for a new era of community sport and recreation.
"We are pleased to see this stage of the project underway as it will enable Taranaki Racing to create a new event space for our members and visitors.
"The public attending race days will experience some changes and disruption during construction, but TRI really value their attendance and will be making provisions to ensure their experience is still a positive one."
ACR Demolition would oversee the clearance of the public stand and aimed to recycle 99 percent of building materials, including crushing and reusing most of the concrete as fill material in the new car park and re-purposing the seating into mobile container grandstands.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
