“We can’t underestimate the significance of this latest $1 million five-year sponsorship contribution by Brendon Smith,” Howie said.
“It helps us to keep our facility costs down, which in turn keeps user prices down and greatly supports water safety in our community.”
The Smith family have donated more than $2 million to the Mitre 10 Regional Sports Park since 2017.
Brendon Smith said the importance of providing access to water sports, learn-to-swim programmes, and water safety for all members of the community was the driver behind the latest donation.
“It’s vitally important that our young children are confident in water and if we can make this amazing facility more accessible, then it will go some way to improving wellbeing outcomes as well as save lives.”
The new aquatic centre boasts an Olympic-size indoor swimming pool among other state-of-the-art facilities and pools.
Following the donation, the aquatic centre will now be officially called the Hawke’s Bay Regional Aquatic Centre Powered by Pak’nSave Hastings.
