At its meeting yesterday, the Waitaki District Council by a comfortable majority approved the contract for the development of the Network Waitaki Events Centre. The contract was awarded
to design and construction company Apollo Projects.
In the first stage of the project, the existing Centennial Park grandstand will be demolished at a cost of $300,000 and a new six-court, multipurpose facility will be built beside that site.
The new facility will have meeting and conference spaces, movable seating and provide an indoor alternative to the current outdoor courts on the east side of Taward St.
The construction phase, of which Waitaki District Council is contributing $15m of the $32m price tag, will have detailed designs available in early 2024, with an anticipated site construction from April.
The contract is fixed price, meaning any cost overruns would not require further funding from council.
Cr Tim Blackler spoke strongly against putting money into the facility as he felt it was needed more urgently for items such as community housing.
Cr Guy Percival also voiced doubts on funding the events centre, despite it being a "fixed-price design contract".
He said the risk of more funding being sought was very high. "I’ve seen similar across the country."
Cr Percival said the problem was people often did not pay what they promised.
"There is even a risk on pledges that aren’t delivered."
He was concerned those supporting the event centre would seek a top-up from the council if they could not find further funding.
The $15m the council had already approved amounted to a 3%-4% rates rise, which took away the council’s ability to fix potholes and drainage
problems.
But Mayor Gary Kircher was upbeat about the decision.
"The contract is in front of us, it is a momentous occasion."
Cr Rebecca Ryan said the decision would mean all of Oamaru’s athletes could now share a facility to train in, rather than them having to leave the district.
"It will be a great facility, now and into the future."
On top of the council’s $15m contribution, funding has also been secured from Network Waitaki, the Otago Community Trust, the Lotteries Facilities Fund and many community donors, through the Event Centre Trust.
A funding shortfall of $2.7m was needed to complete the facility, which the Events Centre Trust hoped could be raised from further community fundraising.
The second stage of the project, billed at up to $4m, was not a part of the existing fundraising and would also require community and third-party funding.
That phase involves the construction of replacement grandstand seating, additional changing rooms and toilet facilities for field sports and office space for field sporting codes operating out of Centennial Park.
- Graham McKerracher
