The Active Community Hub ““Game Changer”. The “Game Changer” may be quite different than you were expecting.
According to Deputy Mayor David Bublitz in an article in Stuff last month, the “Tuparikino Active Community Hub will be a game changer.”
Just 6 indoor multi use courts and a new carpark for $50 million, which may possibly attract people from out of town to visit New Plymouth to use them, or it may not.
The indoor courts themselves may not be a game changer, but the Sports Hub plan is definitely going to be a huge game changer for some followers of New Plymouth Sport.
Spot the elephant in the room in the NPDC site plan for the Sports Hub (photo on the right).
Right in front of the existing TSB Stadium is the brand new Arena.
The elephant in the room – where is the existing Public Stand to watch the races ? It is no longer there.
To the left of the new Arena is new permanent carparks. So where will the followers of New Plymouth Racing get to see their sport on Race Days ?
We got a reply to an OIA in late December which confirmed that the plan to put in the new Arena means the existing Public Race Stand will be removed.
When we asked how will racing customers see their sport the NPDC responded with “The event layout for race days will be determined by Taranaki Racing Inc.” Not sure where they think race day customers will see the races from with this plan, but the NPDC response clearly shows it is not of any concern to them.
Do you recall back in 2021 the Sports Hub was going to be amazing – there would be indoor courts – but phase one was going to be the turf areas.
In the NPDC’s own words in June 2023 “Taranaki’s young sports stars are crying out for more room to play and train”.
The 2021 plan talked about the likes of cricket pitches, soccer & hockey fields, a one stop place for kids to play all sorts of different sports, as well as indoor courts. $50 million for that concept – may be that could be justified.
But a plan that now has $50 million for one building with just 6 indoor courts, and a new carpark area, which knocks down another existing building which is widely used by local people, and visitors, putting money into the local economy – how is that a plan that works for all the community ?
At the Alliance we wondered how this project was going to cost $50 million for one building. The removal of the existing race stand will incur huge demolition costs.
We have to ask the question how on earth does the demolition of an existing, well maintained building, with local history and wide spread use by the New Plymouth public and visitors, how does that fit with the NPDC Zero Waste policy where we are no longer creating waste for the landfill.
We have bin inspectors for our bins at home - so we have to reduce our waste – the NPDC can knock over a complete useful building and send that to landfill and that’s okay ?
All for the sake of just 6 indoor multi use courts, with a $50 million price tag, which of course relies on the project actually coming in on budget ?
And this $50 million price tag will be new debt the NPDC will be taking on for you to pay through your rates and rents.
Do you think the 2021 Long Term Plan was a misrepresentation of what was going to be constructed with this Sports Hub project ?
We note the name is now “Active Community Hub,” with little mention of the word “Sport”. Is that because all the turf sport concepts have been removed and this is not the project the original submissions covered ? Is this actually a completely different plan but with the same price tag ? Does this misrepresent the submissions that were asked for back in 2021 ?
Did the 4,447 people who submitted on this project in 2021 make incorrect statements based on a different concept altogether ?
Remembering that around 30% of submitters did not agree with the concept back in 2021 – which included sports fields as phase one in the plan – which are no longer mentioned.
For the last few months we have been saying through our posts and blogs that we want to create a “Voice to be Heard” for New Plymouth Ratepayers.
We can tell you constantly what is not going right at the NPDC, but the only way that things will change is if lots of people who live in New Plymouth start telling our Council – Elected officials, and the up until now, faceless Executive Team – that we do not like how they are spending our very hard earned rates money.
If you do not want the NPDC to go ahead with this extravagant use of ratepayer money for the Tuparikino Active Community Hub please tell them you do not support them in one of the following ways:
• Email the council at enquiries@npdc.govt.nz
• Post a message on their Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/NewPlymouthDistrictCouncil/
• Email the Mayor, The Councillors, The CEO, and the Executive Leadership Team (Just copy the list below and paste that into the address line of a new e-mail).
If you are new to giving your opinion to the Council, and are not yet brave enough to use your full name, use just your first name in these ways:
• Ring the Council call centre on 759-6060 and tell them you do not support them starting on the Sports Hub project. When they ask for all your details, politely tell them you are only giving your first name, and their job as a council employee is to take your complaint and pass it on to the elected Mayor, Councillors and CEO.
• Write a note, put just your first name on it and hand deliver it in an envelope to reception at the NPDC.
What types of things might you say to the NPDC ?
I do not support the Tuparikino Active Community Hub project and I want it stopped.
I do not want the NPDC to borrow $50 million in new debt for a 6 court sports building and carpark.
I do not want the Public Race Stand removed from the racing club area.
Why is the NPDC demolishing a well used building and filling up Landfill with waste ? I do not want this project to start.
The NPDC have misled the New Plymouth public about what will be delivered with this project and I do not support you going ahead with it.
What was in the 2021 Long Term Plan with a $40 million budget is a lot more extensive than what you are now proposing to build in 2025 for $50 million. What you are now building is not the plan you received submissions for in 2021. You have misrepresented the original plan to the New Plymouth public and I want this project stopped.
The Council email addresses:
Council
neil.holdom@npdc.govt.nz
amanda.clintongohdes@npdc.govt.nz
anneka.carlson@npdc.govt.nz
bali.haque@npdc.govt.nz
bryan.vickery@npdc.govt.nz
david.bublitz@npdc.govt.nz
dinnie.moeahu@npdc.govt.nz
gordon.brown@npdc.govt.nz
harry.duynhoven@npdc.govt.nz
marie.pearce@npdc.govt.nz
max.brough@npdc.govt.nz
murray.chong@npdc.govt.nz
sam.bennett@npdc.govt.nz
tewaka.mcleod@npdc.govt.nz
Executive Team
gareth.green@npdc.govt.nz
jacqueline.baker@npdc.govt.nz
bernie.odonnell@npdc.govt.nz
helena.williams@npdc.govt.nz
sarah.downs@npdc.govt.nz
kathryn.scown@npdc.govt.nz
When you have taken action with the NPDC send us an email so we can remind the Council how many people don’t agree with this project going ahead.
Our e-mail address is:
ratepayersnp@gmail.com
Please also tell all your friends and family about this updated proposal by the NPDC and ask them to contact the Council if they are not happy with what is now being proposed.
Just 6 indoor multi use courts and a new carpark for $50 million, which may possibly attract people from out of town to visit New Plymouth to use them, or it may not.
The indoor courts themselves may not be a game changer, but the Sports Hub plan is definitely going to be a huge game changer for some followers of New Plymouth Sport.
Spot the elephant in the room in the NPDC site plan for the Sports Hub (photo on the right).
Right in front of the existing TSB Stadium is the brand new Arena.
The elephant in the room – where is the existing Public Stand to watch the races ? It is no longer there.
To the left of the new Arena is new permanent carparks. So where will the followers of New Plymouth Racing get to see their sport on Race Days ?
We got a reply to an OIA in late December which confirmed that the plan to put in the new Arena means the existing Public Race Stand will be removed.
When we asked how will racing customers see their sport the NPDC responded with “The event layout for race days will be determined by Taranaki Racing Inc.” Not sure where they think race day customers will see the races from with this plan, but the NPDC response clearly shows it is not of any concern to them.
Do you recall back in 2021 the Sports Hub was going to be amazing – there would be indoor courts – but phase one was going to be the turf areas.
In the NPDC’s own words in June 2023 “Taranaki’s young sports stars are crying out for more room to play and train”.
The 2021 plan talked about the likes of cricket pitches, soccer & hockey fields, a one stop place for kids to play all sorts of different sports, as well as indoor courts. $50 million for that concept – may be that could be justified.
But a plan that now has $50 million for one building with just 6 indoor courts, and a new carpark area, which knocks down another existing building which is widely used by local people, and visitors, putting money into the local economy – how is that a plan that works for all the community ?
At the Alliance we wondered how this project was going to cost $50 million for one building. The removal of the existing race stand will incur huge demolition costs.
We have to ask the question how on earth does the demolition of an existing, well maintained building, with local history and wide spread use by the New Plymouth public and visitors, how does that fit with the NPDC Zero Waste policy where we are no longer creating waste for the landfill.
We have bin inspectors for our bins at home - so we have to reduce our waste – the NPDC can knock over a complete useful building and send that to landfill and that’s okay ?
All for the sake of just 6 indoor multi use courts, with a $50 million price tag, which of course relies on the project actually coming in on budget ?
And this $50 million price tag will be new debt the NPDC will be taking on for you to pay through your rates and rents.
Do you think the 2021 Long Term Plan was a misrepresentation of what was going to be constructed with this Sports Hub project ?
We note the name is now “Active Community Hub,” with little mention of the word “Sport”. Is that because all the turf sport concepts have been removed and this is not the project the original submissions covered ? Is this actually a completely different plan but with the same price tag ? Does this misrepresent the submissions that were asked for back in 2021 ?
Did the 4,447 people who submitted on this project in 2021 make incorrect statements based on a different concept altogether ?
Remembering that around 30% of submitters did not agree with the concept back in 2021 – which included sports fields as phase one in the plan – which are no longer mentioned.
For the last few months we have been saying through our posts and blogs that we want to create a “Voice to be Heard” for New Plymouth Ratepayers.
We can tell you constantly what is not going right at the NPDC, but the only way that things will change is if lots of people who live in New Plymouth start telling our Council – Elected officials, and the up until now, faceless Executive Team – that we do not like how they are spending our very hard earned rates money.
If you do not want the NPDC to go ahead with this extravagant use of ratepayer money for the Tuparikino Active Community Hub please tell them you do not support them in one of the following ways:
• Email the council at enquiries@npdc.govt.nz
• Post a message on their Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/NewPlymouthDistrictCouncil/
• Email the Mayor, The Councillors, The CEO, and the Executive Leadership Team (Just copy the list below and paste that into the address line of a new e-mail).
If you are new to giving your opinion to the Council, and are not yet brave enough to use your full name, use just your first name in these ways:
• Ring the Council call centre on 759-6060 and tell them you do not support them starting on the Sports Hub project. When they ask for all your details, politely tell them you are only giving your first name, and their job as a council employee is to take your complaint and pass it on to the elected Mayor, Councillors and CEO.
• Write a note, put just your first name on it and hand deliver it in an envelope to reception at the NPDC.
What types of things might you say to the NPDC ?
I do not support the Tuparikino Active Community Hub project and I want it stopped.
I do not want the NPDC to borrow $50 million in new debt for a 6 court sports building and carpark.
I do not want the Public Race Stand removed from the racing club area.
Why is the NPDC demolishing a well used building and filling up Landfill with waste ? I do not want this project to start.
The NPDC have misled the New Plymouth public about what will be delivered with this project and I do not support you going ahead with it.
What was in the 2021 Long Term Plan with a $40 million budget is a lot more extensive than what you are now proposing to build in 2025 for $50 million. What you are now building is not the plan you received submissions for in 2021. You have misrepresented the original plan to the New Plymouth public and I want this project stopped.
The Council email addresses:
Council
neil.holdom@npdc.govt.nz
amanda.clintongohdes@npdc.govt.nz
anneka.carlson@npdc.govt.nz
bali.haque@npdc.govt.nz
bryan.vickery@npdc.govt.nz
david.bublitz@npdc.govt.nz
dinnie.moeahu@npdc.govt.nz
gordon.brown@npdc.govt.nz
harry.duynhoven@npdc.govt.nz
marie.pearce@npdc.govt.nz
max.brough@npdc.govt.nz
murray.chong@npdc.govt.nz
sam.bennett@npdc.govt.nz
tewaka.mcleod@npdc.govt.nz
Executive Team
gareth.green@npdc.govt.nz
jacqueline.baker@npdc.govt.nz
bernie.odonnell@npdc.govt.nz
helena.williams@npdc.govt.nz
sarah.downs@npdc.govt.nz
kathryn.scown@npdc.govt.nz
When you have taken action with the NPDC send us an email so we can remind the Council how many people don’t agree with this project going ahead.
Our e-mail address is:
ratepayersnp@gmail.com
Please also tell all your friends and family about this updated proposal by the NPDC and ask them to contact the Council if they are not happy with what is now being proposed.
Posted: Tue 07 Jan 2025