Tararua District Council has agreed to allow an investigation into further utilisation of the Woodville Recreation Reserve.
Late last year Woodville Districts' Vision (WDV) asked Woodville in Focus Inc (WiFi) to investigate the building of a skate park.
At a council workshop on December 11 WiFi presented a proposal fora sport and recreation hub on the Woodville Recreation Reserve, currently used irregularly for rugby and the occasional public event, to greatly expand its brief.
Included in the proposal were a skate park, tennis courts, a basketball court, cricket nets, a traffic park, a water park, new carparking, petanque and chess facilities, a barbecue, toilets and a pedestrian boardwalk from Normanby St.
WiFi prioritised the traffic park, skate park and tennis courts as the heart of the hub and sought permission to seek funding from external funding agencies and the Manawatū-Tararua Highway consortium to undertake community consultation and develop detailed design plans initially before seeking construction funding.
Practically the grounds are owned by the council and it has an agreement with the Woodville Recreation Trust regarding the use and development of the existing old rugby clubrooms. It has no proposed budget to maintain and renew additional facilities.
Future funding would have to be considered in the 2021-2031 Long Term Plan.
Initial debate at the council meeting supported giving permission to WiFi to investigate further the proposal but councillor Peter Johns pointed out WiFi had exceeded its brief and that WVD should be the vehicle to continue the investigation.
There was debate about the two groups seemingly in conflict but a compromise was reached asking Woodville Districts' Vision, in consultation with Woodville in Focus Inc, to undertake further investigation, noting further information is necessary before a decision could be made.
An assessment of future needs, a business case covering costs and funding sources, agreement from the Woodville Recreation Trust and a Reserves Management Plan for all reserve land in Woodville was called for.
The compromise was passed with Johns dissenting.
Councillor Alison Franklin said she hoped the two groups could work together.
"Woodville has a massive opportunity with the new highway development. Locals need to come together," she said.
