New Ashburton sport hub blueprint unveiled

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:

Courts, pools, turfs, and fields.

It’s all in the EA Networks Centre 30-year draft masterplan.
The Ashburton District Council’s plan is packed full of projects to realise the vision of creating a sports hub around the stadium and aquatic centre.

Chief executive Hamish Riach said the draft masterplan provides the direction for the future development of and around the stadium but it isn’t set in stone, emphasising the proposed projects may occur in future if and when funding allows.

The plans include a stadium extension, aquatic extension, two multi-use sports fields and two turfs, an additional entrance/exit, additional car parks, walkways, a mini golf course and some playground equipment, as well as the outdoor sand court that is scheduled to be built later this year.

It has been developed through extensive consultation, Riach said.

That included the 2022 play, active recreation and sport strategy, the 2023 utilisation study report, and feedback received from key stakeholders and sport groups.

It also builds on previous masterplan concepts, the most recent being in 2017.

People and facilities group manager Sarah Mosley said the masterplan presents a full picture of how everything could fit on the site “if everything was done at one point in the future”.

“It’s a long-term strategic document to enable projects and project planning to be done well,” Mosley said.

The masterplan doesn’t contain the estimated costs or timelines for all the projects as that is dealt with through the long-term plan process.

“Based on timelines, costings can change significantly,” Mosely said.

The long-term plan sets the timeline and the costings of the projects that are intended to be completed in the 10-year timeframe, she said.

The entrance widening (2024/25), internal building changes (24/25), solar farm (27/28), and stadium extension (2028/31) are all in the draft long-term plan.

The possible $3.1m new outdoor pool is factored into the masterplan, as is an option for an indoor pool extension instead and the provision for hydroslides.

The masterplan will be revisited every three years as part of the long-term plan to determine when projects are progressed, and then get accurate costs, she said.

The draft masterplan had the unanimous support of the councillors to go out for consultation alongside the long-term plan.

Mayor Neil Brown said he felt the masterplan would be well supported but raised concerns about a consultation overload and it getting “overshadowed by the long-term plan”.

It was a judgment call around the timing, Riach said.
“It’s complicated and it’s not perfect.

“It’s the right thing to do given all the circumstances.”