Viewpoint – Support sports

One of the biggest spends of your ratepayer dollar in the whole of Rodney, the Warkworth Showgrounds, is emerging as a quality facility which will attract regional and national sports competitions into the area, increase participation among the various codes, and meet the needs of a growing population.

The Rodney Local Board is partnering with the Mahurangi Community Sport and Recreation Collective (MCSR), a volunteer organisation made up of dedicated community leaders to the numerous sports clubs and recreational groups, whose input is invaluable to the Board and parks staff in making decisions on this sports ground. These people joined because they were recreational users, players, or supporting their children’s sport, and want to improve the facilities. Yet over time some have become involved in the development plans to the detriment of their own sporting interests. Let’s not burn them out – go along to their stall at the Kowhai Festival to find out more about what is planned and what help they need. Community support is vital to the success of this project.

MCSR are also partnering with us over the pool provision, therefore the feasibility study will not be complete until their very important feedback on the draft is incorporated. The three ‘most suitable’ pool sites identified by the consultants and mentioned in this paper were based on some desired measurable geographical, distance and transport proximity parameters, but no local or political preferences have been taken into account at this point. The operating costs are based on a worst-case scenario, using todays population figures without growth projections for the area, or fluctuating summer and tourist populations. The pool isn’t being built today! The next step is to narrow down the 11 locations to two or three on which to do a detailed business case and some concept designs. This information will then be available to potential partners for expressions of interest. Private investors are far more astute with their own money than bureaucrats are with everyone else’s, so I am pleased we are finally getting this groundwork done with a strong ratepayer mandate, to allow commercial partners to make an investment decision alongside Council.

I am frequently asked whether I support the NAG proposal to break away from the Auckland Supercity.  The short answer is: I don’t know! Getting adequate financial information on which to make an informed decision has proved extremely difficult. Local Board members have repeatedly requested this data and have been met with the response that regional spending – that which covers infrastructure across the entire Auckland region such as roads, public transport, water supply, waste and storm water etc., and regional parks – is not broken down by local board area. With the Local Government Commission’s decision to take a closer look at the proposal, Auckland Council must now crunch the numbers and provide this information. I await that with as much interest as all of you.