Pak’nSave Hastings donates $1 million to regional aquatic centre

Inside the Hawke's Bay Regional Aquatic Centre. Photo / Ian Cooper

A Hastings supermarket has donated $1 million to the new Hawke’s Bay Regional Aquatic Centre to help keep costs low for pool users and to support water safety programmes.

Pak’nSave Hastings announced on Thursday a $1 million donation to the Hawke’s Bay Community Fitness Centre Trust (HBCFCT), which operates the aquatic centre at Mitre 10 Regional Sports Park in Hastings.

That aquatic centre was opened in August and has been an impressive addition to the world-class sports park.

HBCFCT commercial manager Greg Howie said the sponsorship announcement by the Smith family, who own Pak’nSave Hastings, would make a big impact.

Greg Howie (left) and Brendon Smith at the aquatic centre. Photo / Supplied

“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.