Big facilities investment proposal

BVL wants to build a new complex at Memorial Park. Supplied photos.

Tauranga City Council has approved for public consultation a $30m Bay Venues Ltd development plan.

The plan proposes a major recreation and leisure hub in the central city, and a new exhibition centre at Baypark.

BVL's submission requests the provision of funding through the LTP to complete a comprehensive feasibility study to investigate an opportunity to develop a multi-use sport, recreation and leisure facility within the CBD.

This would include wet spaces for aquatic activities as well as dry spaces such as indoor courts, fitness centre, community centre and commercial/retail activities including outdoor hot pool/spa experiences.

This facility is proposed for development at Memorial Park.

In reply to questions from Councillor Catherine Stewart at Monday's city council meeting, BVL High Performance and Strategic Manager Justine Brennan says the pictures of the Memorial Park development are indicative.

'It gives a better idea of what we are talking about. We have put some indicative pictures into the needs assessment for the work.

'But in saying that, the definite idea is to use as much of the existing facility as is appropriate, and fit for purpose.

'So when we get to the point of doing the feasibility study we will be looking at how much of the existing facility in terms of QEYC and the indoor arena there we can incorporate with this new proposal.”

BVL has completed a needs assessment identifying a case for change in order to continue providing the current level of service for aquatic facilities to the Tauranga community.

The proposed development will also meet the increased demand projected due to the growth of the tertiary sector in the CBD and planned intensification in the CBD.

Included in the capital programme is $150,000 in 2018/2019 to undertake a detailed feasibility study. BVL is also seeking provisional project funding in 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 (Years 4 and 5 of the Long Term Plan).

The total project cost is estimated at $30 million, and BVL has indicated it will seek external funding, potentially in the form of a public/private partnership.

The feasibility study will need to be informed by two key Council projects currently underway: the Tauranga Urban Form Strategy and the Community Wellbeing Strategic Plan 2018-21.

Through those two studies the city council is looking at what investments to make over the next 30 years to ensure that the city grows effectively, and to ensure the council is supporting its existing communities, and communities in need.

As part of the Community Wellbeing Strategic Plan, Council will be leading a social infrastructure review for the city in the 2018/19 year.

BVL's second significant project is developing a new multi-purpose exhibition space at ASB Baypark for events such as exhibitions and entertainment.

This is to release pressure placed on the demand for the spaces in ASB Arena which has arisen due to Tauranga's rapid growth.

ASB Arena's six court area is used for both community and business purposes, with significant competition for that space.

Peak usage for both community and business occurs from February to November and the cost to transform the space from one use to the other is significant.

The proposed exhibition centre will relieve this pressure through providing an alternative indoor facility for events such as conferences, exhibitions, expos and trade shows.

Council staff support the BVL proposal because a new ASB exhibitions space will not be a competitor to the proposed Civic Heart performance venue, say city council staff in the agenda.

The proposed exhibition centre will mean existing court space is better available for community use, as the commercial users will use the new centre.

The BVL Board has already approved funding for a feasibility study to be completed by the end of the 2017/2018 financial year. The LTP funding request is for $4.9 million of provisional project funding for design and construction, subject to the outcome of the feasibility study. This would be split over 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 (years 1 and 2 of the LTP) as follows:

$1.0 million for preparatory works in 2018/2019

$3.9 million for construction in 2019/2020.

Total proposed capital expenditure for the ten years of the LTP is $44.7 million. The submission signals projects that are expected to take place beyond the first three years of this LTP (and can therefore be considered during the next LTP).

Total proposed capital expenditure for the first three years is $8,245,394, of which the majority $7.358 million is for the five main projects:

The new CBD Recreation and Leisure Hub, the new Exhibition Centre at ASB Baypark, and the refurbishment and enhancement of the Baywave Aquatic and Leisure Centre, the Greerton Aquatic and Leisure Centre Improvements, and University ofWaikato Adams Centre for High Performance: Deck Enhancement.

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25 comments

wow

Posted on 17-10-2017 11:37 | By dumbkof2

here we go again. whats another 30 to 40 mil. this council with their grandiose schemes


Running before they can walk

Posted on 17-10-2017 11:55 | By overit

Excuse me surely it would be better to finish the plans for Durham St and CBD before even thinking of this project. Its not magic mushroom season is it.


Awesome

Posted on 17-10-2017 12:18 | By maildrop

Investing in top notch leisure facilities cannot be compared to the "museum". There is much broader usage and demand.


size does matter

Posted on 17-10-2017 12:38 | By outback

what ever bvl decide to build please make sure it includes a 50 metre pool and a warm down pool with plenty of competitor and spectator seating. these type of facilities are sadly lacking in the wider bop area. bay wave is a joke when you have 400 or so kids competing no room for them let alone parents that want to watch. do it once do it properly.


Another world

Posted on 17-10-2017 12:43 | By rastus

There is no doubt in my mind that these people just keep on keeping on with absolutely no regard to the actual desires of the city's inhabitants - in other words they live in a totally different world to those whom the city was created for!


Parking?

Posted on 17-10-2017 13:27 | By Blasta

Looks good.Hope they plan for parking.


Hells bells

Posted on 17-10-2017 15:00 | By philiphallen

Not only do they appear to want to spend, spend, spend, but also looking at the image, they seem to want to destroy the railway in the park. I and many others spend hours and hours of our time, and money maintaining and running that railway for the kids, and big kids, to ride on. I personally don't want to see the disappointed look on their faces if we have to tell them that there will be no more trains running on Sunday mornings. The railway can do a 1000 rides on a sunny Sunday.


@ dumbkof2

Posted on 17-10-2017 16:42 | By MISS ADVENTURE

You got it, all of this garbage is based on an assumption of endless, spiraliing exponential growth, that is just not going to happen.


And the trains are going where???

Posted on 17-10-2017 17:27 | By Bronzewing

What moron has let this proposal even get off the ground. The trains have been there providing fantastic entertainment for generations at practically no cost to ratepayers. It would cost buckets of money to relocate. Replace it with a white elephant that will bleed money. The perpetrators will realize their folly and leave the ratepayers in a puddle of s**t while they go somewhere else and do the same there..


Splish, Splash

Posted on 17-10-2017 19:19 | By backofthequeue

Once again no 50 metre pool. That means no major national or international events for Tauranga. Just like the Bayfair swim centre that requires ongoing ratepayer subsidy this proposal will prove to be okay for some things but ultimately good for very little. We seem to be able to fund high performance training centres and floodlights for sports fields but why can't we plan for a decent olympic size pool ?


And have the RATEPAYERS been consulted

Posted on 18-10-2017 00:14 | By The Caveman

On this $50 MILLION spend. I am a rate payer on both residential and commercial properties and up until this news article I have seen NOTHING about this $50 MILLION spend that seems to have been presented to the Council as - "Just Rubber Stamp It".............. the ratepayers will PAY!!!!!


Aquatic centre

Posted on 18-10-2017 07:03 | By peter pan

Make sure it is covered in like Baywave so you can use it in all weathers .


Idiot magnets personified

Posted on 18-10-2017 07:59 | By ROCCO

THIS GROUP OF FISCAL FOOLS CAN HARDLY BE TRUSTED WITH THE RATEPAYERS CHEQUEBOOK. WE NEED TO PETITION GOVERNMENT TO APPOINT STATUTORY COMMISSIONERS TO STOP THE FINANCIAL CARNAGE IMMEDIATELY. FITH & FOTOS BRIGADE MATERIAL.


@ philiphallen

Posted on 18-10-2017 08:28 | By MISS ADVENTURE

Because they can dream up anything and TCC staff cant help but support it the Councillors then fall over themselves to jump at it also. For ratepayers it is a 24/7/365 nightmare!


Huge spending spree

Posted on 18-10-2017 08:33 | By MISS ADVENTURE

The proposals here really look like this: ASB add on building $35m, revamp QE2 $20m, extend Baywave to a 50m pool etc $23m, revamp Greerton (only happened a few years ago) $10m so just those couple of things are a massive spend of some $100m. There is no way that is going to be a Public/private partnership.


Time for a relook

Posted on 18-10-2017 08:54 | By Angels

Time for another local election and clean house ,of all the totally incompetent councillors and mayor.Bunch of reckless spenders with no common sense. Just spend.This new council are totally incompetent and have lost touch to the real world. Wanting to spend $$ like a bunch of drunken sailors, and even they ( the drunken sailors) would be more responsible than our present council.


Memorial Park Railway

Posted on 18-10-2017 09:20 | By philiphallen

The railway in the park has cost the rate payers hardly a penny. Actually all the track and equipment has been paid for by you the public, that have taken your time to come down to the park for a ride with your families. The club actually pays rent to the council for the land that it uses. The council look after the grass cutting and planting around the track.


OMG

Posted on 18-10-2017 09:42 | By MaureenR

Another grandiose scheme thought up by this TCC ..FIX THE DANG ROADING SITUATION FIRST instead of spending 50 mil on this...rate payers do not have an endless supply of money for the TCC to spend on their fantasy's ...we get nothing for the rates we pay now...DISGUSTED....


Public/private partnership?

Posted on 18-10-2017 09:56 | By MISS ADVENTURE

What that really means is that the public will throw a few pennies at it if they can be bothered when woandering in and out the doors. The "Private" part is just how much will the ratepayers have to pay (will be many millions annually) without being fully informed and consenting to it prior to it happening. History will repeat as it always does. Foks your rates will incraese and that will be a large increase. God-save-the-Ratepayer,-as-no-one-else-wants-to,-10/4-out!


Hip-shooting half cocked as usual

Posted on 18-10-2017 11:00 | By Papamoaner

Hey guys, settle down, it aint a done deal. READ THE ARTICLE PROPERLY ! Especially the first line. It's only approved FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION at this stage. So here's your big chance to get down there and make a presentation on why you're against it or for it. If you're for it, good opportunity to contribute some suggestions on the design. No point grizzling on this entertainment forum, then doing nothing.


@ Poppa-a-tight

Posted on 18-10-2017 17:49 | By MISS ADVENTURE

Read ... Read ... Read ... Read ... it again and re-read history, any silly idea that TCC create, dream, fabicate, is fully and seriously intended to be done no matter how crazy or costly or meaningless stupids ... it is, no question of it. There is no consultation, there is no accountability on any scheme or plan to date. The result is predetemined and deliberately so. When everyone realises that then perhaps the silent majority will awaken and speak clearly and let them all have what they deserve 100%!


@ MaureenR

Posted on 18-10-2017 21:02 | By MISS ADVENTURE

Well said, couldnt agree more.


@Misadventure

Posted on 19-10-2017 11:06 | By Papamoaner

Sounds good to me. I take it then that you intend to present yourself in person and tell them just that in your submission? Mine is already quarter written. The money feels good in my mouth. Try it sometime!


@ Poppa-lost-it

Posted on 19-10-2017 17:17 | By MISS ADVENTURE

So you dont mind double rates? Are you that silly, naive? Do you think that out of control mismanaged incompetent staff will stop at just double? TCC lacks proper management and the balance/checks that should be there to ensure that all is efficent and cost effective (in the LGA S10). The lesson you have yet to learn is that Council isnt cost effective or efficent and so less is better for its community.


Mysterious yellow line?

Posted on 23-10-2017 23:57 | By MISS ADVENTURE

So that will be the $20m odd walk and cycle way planned from the CBD to QE2 right? I doubt that will be advised to anyone. But TCC staff will add it in and jsut do it anyway ... as well.


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