Rugby club excited to share new facility with community

Players from a North Canterbury rugby club will swap shipping containers for new clubrooms next season.

The Takahanga Sport and Recreation Facility is expected to be completed later this year, with the whole Kaikōura community set to benefit from the new sports centre and function rooms.

The facility will replace the Kaikōura Rugby Club rooms at Takahanga Domain, which were severely damaged in the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in 2016.

The club is the driving force behind the $2.6 million project, but has brought other sports clubs together to build a two-storey facility, with changing sheds for multiple sports downstairs and a function centre upstairs.

Kaikōura Mayor Craig Mackle said the new facility is ‘‘fantastic’’.

‘‘Any sports is good for the town and I am excited for that to happen, particularly for our youth.

‘‘It will be fantastic for 21sts and family functions and it will make a great addition to our community.’’

Project lead Richard Cotter said local builders, plumbers, roofers, electricians and Kaikōura ITM have all been involved.

‘‘We have used people, where possible, who have supported the rugby club and sport and recreation in general.

‘‘We are aiming to finish it at the end of the year and open for the 2025 rugby season.’’

For now local sports people are making do with shipping containers at the northern end of the rugby of the rugby ground, with one fitted with showers.

‘‘It is pretty rudimentary. It is country rugby at its best, but I think the boys are well over it,’’ Cotter said.

Downstairs are four large changing sheds, and two smaller sheds, one for the referees and the other for netballers and tennis players using the Takahanga tennis courts, which are due to be refurbished as a multi-sport facility.

The largest changing shed is reserved for the Kaikōura senior men’s rugby team, which plays in the North Canterbury club competition.

It will be fitted out with a heat pump and drinks fridge, Cotter said.

While the showers are shared, they can be closed off so women’s teams can use them at the same time as men’s teams.

A downstairs canteen will also face out onto the rugby field.

Upstairs is a function room which can cater for up to 220 people, with a bar, full commercial kitchen and balcony to watch the rugby.

Cotter said the project team has been working closely with the various sports clubs and Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura, and is in talks with the Kaikōura RSA and other local groups to establish a community facility.

‘‘Sports clubs can be members of the hub and use the facilities for after-match functions, even if they don’t play sport here.

‘‘It is about the community and growing sport and recreation across the community.’’

Local Māori heritage is also being incorporated after some adzes and other artefacts were found during the excavations.

Four big television screens in the upstairs function centre will promote the history of the rugby club.

After a long journey, Cotter said he could not wait to use the new facilities.

‘‘The first day that the teams get to run out of here will be pretty cool.’’

The facility has been funded by two Lottery Grants, two grants from the Kaikōura Community Op Shop, and grants from the Rata Foundation and the Aotearoa Gaming Trust.

Community fundraising and grants from Kaikōura Lions and the Kaikōura District Council helped the project get across the line.

By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.