Denis O'Reilly: Please think again on 'well e drome'

Denis O'Reilly

The recently published Sport NZ analysis of the Napier City Council's proposal to extend the existing Pettigrew Green Arena into a multi-purpose sports and community facility (described by detractors only as a velodrome) is shallow and facile in the extreme.

Moreover, in proposing that the venue would primarily be used by well off older white males (my words) and would thus not meet the needs of Maori and low socio-economic communities, Sport NZ inadvertently ends up advancing a patronising stance of racial bias by omission.

The difference between the Napier City Council and Sport NZ is that the Napier City Council engaged with local Maori communities and asked for their opinions and input.

At Waiohiki we saw the proposition as a boon, more a "well e drome" than velodrome. It would complement the three-legged stool of propinquitous regional community resources being the EIT, the enhanced Pettigrew Green Arena (PGA), and the new Waiohiki 21st Century Marae Complex.

We view the PGA, being adjacent to Tareha Reserve, as an extension of the Waiohiki campus.

We told the Napier City Council during consultations that their proposal meant that the hapu could host and cater for large scale tribal and community events at the enhanced PGA without replicating expensive dining facilities.

This meant that we could scale back our own plans for the marae complex's proposed whare kai into a simpler, multi-purpose community facility that would be both less expensive both to build and to use.

The demography and social status of our Maori community is changing. We may be currently "low socio economic" but it doesn't mean to say we plan to stay there.

Anyone passing through Waiohiki could not help but notice the new housing and subsequent increase in population, both young and old, and improving lifestyles.

The proposed new enhanced PGA community facility promised opportunities to increase active lifestyles for both young and old members of our community, and fitted in well with the hapu's consideration of using nearby land assets for outdoor sports such as ki o rahi, touch, tag, sevens, and nines.

We envisaged using the trinity of facilities to host nationwide tournaments, bringing both economic and social benefits to the entire region. It's hard to accept that Sport NZ would use the current undoubted social and economic marginalisation of Maori as a stick with which to beat the Napier City Council while ignoring the desire of our community to see the venture proceed.

Waiohiki proposes to build a 21st century Maori community and marae complex that embraces any New Zealander who wishes to contribute and participate.

We see that as being inextricably linked with the progressive thinking of all three of our local authorities and we celebrate the support they have given us in our endeavours.

It is by collective action and shared purpose that we strengthen our families, build strong communities, and contribute to our shared nation.

We saw the enhanced PGA facility as one way forward and invite Sport NZ to consult first and think again.

Denis O'Reilly is Chair of Waiohiki Marae Complex Fundraising Committee