Community fundraising drive for Taradale's new indoor sports arena

Jove and Dad Craig Ireson are the first to purchase a seat in the new indoor sport arena in Taradale.

The Ireson family of Napier South are the first family to put their name on spectator seating as part of a fundraising drive to complete the region's dedicated community indoor sports arena in Taradale.

Craig Ireson, a football enthusiast, said the family were keen to support the arena fundraising project, ensuring local families have access to a community-focused sports facility.

"The region outgrew the existing indoor court space many years ago, forcing parents to go along and sit in the stand and watch their children late into the evening during the middle of the week, when they should be tucked up in bed.

"Indoor sports have exploded in popularity and it's really important that we have more courts available, especially at one venue."

The new and yet-to-be-named arena is being built to meet community demand from fast-growing sports such as basketball, volleyball, netball and futsal, particularly from youth throughout Hastings and Napier.

The $20 million arena is being built behind the existing Pettigrew Green Arena and is set to be completed in late August, providing enough court space to create six basketball, futsal and netball courts or 12 volleyball courts.

Regional Indoor Sports & Event Centre Trust chairman Craig Waterhouse has set a target of selling all 350 seats at $250 each.

"We are hoping the community will get behind funding the seating in the new stadium, to ensure parents get the best enjoyment to support their children playing sport.

"The new arena will be well used by the community, especially youth under the age of 19, and it will add much-needed court space availability.

"Thirteen per cent of the Hastings/Napier population, over 20,000 people, will use the new combined arena every year, with 90 per cent of users under 19 years of age and 30 per cent aged between 3 and 11 years.

"Indoor sports are the fastest-growing sports and it's important that we get community support to ensure we can keep user fees as low as possible."

The trust has raised $16.9 million so far, including $6.4m from the Government's Infrastructure Reference Group (IRG) Covid Response and Recovery Fund, $4.6m in cash and land from Napier City Council, $3.4m from New Zealand Lotteries Significant Projects & Community Facilities Funds, $350,000 from Royston Health Trust, and $200,000 from
Eastern & Central Community Trust. EIT Hawke's Bay has also contributed land, land usage licencing and significant project people resources over $1m in value to the extension.

The present PGA complex was built in 2002, and by 2005 user demand was already affecting court availability. Today 55 per cent of users are Napier residents and 45 per cent from Hastings. It is estimated visits to the combined stadiums will be 360,000 in the first year.

"PGA was established by both Hastings and Napier councils along with EIT Hawke's Bay and Sport Hawke's Bay back in 2002 as a true regional facility. So far we've received funding support from Napier City Council and we hope that Hastings also contributes. In 2002, the regional facility build was a true collaboration between councils with financial support of Hastings District Council, Hawke's Bay Regional Council and the Napier City Council."

Mr Waterhouse says the trust is also seeking corporate sponsorship including naming rights for the entire complex and the new arena, along with court and scoreboard sponsorships.

"We have some fantastic opportunities for local and national businesses to partner with us in delivering on our vision of providing an indoor facility that improves the wellbeing of Hawke's Bay residents, especially our youth.

Check out https://donate.pgarena.co.nz/donate to support the project