A committee of Pirongia residents are working towards creating a community sports hub in the village.
The concept idea for the front of the new Pirongia Community Sports Hub – the gateway to the building. Image: Design Management Consultants
Members Michael Earwaker, Layne Kerr and Don Gray asked for community feedback and received 87 submissions.
The feedback was passed on to Design Management Consultants Ltd (DMC) in Hamilton. DMC produced a visual plan based on the sporting numbers of the next 30 years.
“It’s come from a need for upgrading the sports facilities but also working closely to pull the community together,” Earwaker said. “We’re seeing what else is around the community that needs looking after for future generations. You’ll drive past it on the main road. Whether you live here or not, you’re going to see it.
He hopes to see work start on the building within two years and it completed by 2034 debt free.
“We want buy-in from the community with like-minded people wanting to help in the project. It’s a challenge, but it’s achievable.”
The plan is to have a gymnasium catering to many sports, a gym, three squash courts, four tennis courts, two rugby fields, one bowling green, several rentable spaces for private use and bigger areas for function hire.
Pirongia Rugby Sports Club
Pirongia has been Earwaker’s home for more than two decades, while Kerr and Gray have lived there for in excess of 40 years.
The committee says the centre is not just about sport, it is just the vehicle they’re using.
“We’re saying to the people, we’ll make the space available, but we want you to use it and to have faith in the whole organisation.
As well as Pirongia, the facility could service Kāwhia, Pāterangi, Ngāhinapōuri, Ōpārau, Whatawhata and Raglan.
“This is an opportunity to join our community together and if we can make it an enjoyable experience, it will entice more people.
The current Pirongia Rugby Sports Club building. Photo: Viv Posselt
The current Pirongia Rugby Sports Club building. Photo: Viv Posselt
The idea also brings the possibility of rehoming the Pirongia Memorial Hall facade as the current building continues to deteriorate. That is still to go through community consultation.
“We’re trying to keep the old with the new so that we can bring the past forward into the future and it’ll last another 100 years,” Earwaker said.
The rugby fields are planned to stay as they are when the Pirongia Community Sports Hub opens. Photo: Viv Posselt
“It’s lasted more than 100 years. How do we stop something with so much history from falling down and losing it forever? Yes, it’ll cost money, but we want to give it another life.”
Anzac services and markets are among the many community events that could be held at the facility.
“The big thing for the community is we want them to have what they’ve got now, but we also want them to have more,” he said. “If someone comes up with a really good idea, let’s try it.
“This is the design concept of where we’re at and it’s subject to change. We’ll update the community as we go. There’s a lot of water to go under the bridge between now and then, but I’m confident that it will be built, and hopefully faster.
“The biggest thing is we want community buy-in, this is all for them and feedback is greatly appreciated.”
The concept idea for the front of the new Pirongia Community Sports Hub – the gateway to the building. Image: Design Management Consultants
