Omokoroa to get $1.5m sports centre

Omokoroa's Western Ave Sports Ground is to be transformed into a fully fledged $1.5 million sports and recreation centre to help cater for an expected influx of young families.

The town's population is projected to double over the next 10 years to more than 5000 people, with the proposed Housing Accord likely to boost the appeal for young couples looking for affordable housing.

A milestone in the history of the development of the sports ground was reached this week when the Western Bay District Council signed off on the park's $1.5 million concept plan.

The last sticking point, neighbourhood opposition to the location of a skatepark, was overcome when Omokoroa Point School came up with an alternative skate path, full of curves and undulations.

First up early next year will be the construction of two tennis courts behind the old soccer club pavilion, followed soon after by the skate path, with the rest of the development unfolding between 2016 and 2019. Omokoroa Community Board chairman Don Cameron said the developments would be good for the town and surrounding areas. The population was predominantly older people but he expected the demographic to get younger with the proposal for Omokoroa to become the council's focus for the Housing Accord and Special Housing Areas legislation.

Western Ave Sports Ground is used for soccer, with some athletics in the summer. The main change for soccer would be the redevelopment of the grounds and introduction of different sized pitches for different age groups.

Omokoroa's tennis club, which uses the school's courts, would get two all-weather courts, with two more courts planned to be added in four or five years.

The most expensive part of the project is the $585,000 construction of a two-storey pavilion with changing rooms to serve soccer, tennis and athletics.

Young families have not been forgotten, with a playground earmarked to be built in about three years.

A report to Thursday's council meeting said the development of the concept plan had been "long and fraught" and it was time for a clear statement on the future of facilities.

The community board has agreed to contribute up to $50,000 from its reserves to match the council's $50,000 for the skate path.

Councillor Gwenda Merriman, who chaired Thursday's meeting, said the council had received good input from the different sports codes to produce an exciting concept. "There is a really good atmosphere of going forward."

Sports clubs would contribute to costs.