$5.6m gym project wins big support

The new building and grandstand will provide a superb complex.Lindsay McKendrick, submitterAn overwhelming majority of submissions support a $5.6 million gymnasium centre and grandstand overlooking the new athletics track at Whangarei's Kensington Park.
The submissions were made public yesterday at a hearing for the 24 submitters who wished to speak to their submissions before independent commissioner Robert Chan.
Sixty-four of the 67 submissions were in favour.
St Francis Xavier Catholic School Board of Trustees, St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish and nearby resident Margaret Flannery were the three objectors.
The church - church and school are located at the northern end of Park Ave - cited concerns about traffic congestion, noise pollution and control; and the possibility of exacerbating the risk to turning traffic at the intersection of Park Ave and the arterial Kamo Rd route.
The school board concedes having the facility in the same street could be good for the school, but wants bigger footpaths to accommodate multi-use, a pedestrian crossing, a cycleway, more than one entrance and exit to the carpark and suggests a roundabout as a solution to congestion at the northern exit of the street.
Ms Flannery is concerned about stormwater and possible loss of privacy.
Park Ave residents William Mariner and Jo Beaumont supported the proposal subject to noise, litter and maintenance controls. They said they were fed up with late-night noise and litter from the Marist Sports Club, and wanted to be sure the project would "avoid the current horrendous parking issues in the street".
Lindsay McKendrick said "the realignment of Park Ave and Corns Park and the new building and grandstand would provide a superb complex that will serve athletics and gymnastics for many generations," and Lauren Mills said she would approve if the trees in Corns Park (which will lose about half its area to the carpark) were "100 per cent protected".
Roderick Cunliffe, formerly a member of the UK gymnastics squad, said a key factor in the success of similar facilities he was involved with was being centrally-located and within safe walking distance of schools - which the new centre would be.
Sport Northland chief executive Brent Edwards said Northland was lagging behind almost every other region in provision of gymnastic and athletics facilities and need was "desperate". These were "very significant and hugely important foundation sports".
The grandstand would be sited on the stretch of Park Ave which runs beside the new athletics track, with the gymnasium adjoining at the back and a carpark with 247 spaces (227 more than are currently available there) extending out to the railway line. Park Ave would take a loop behind the buildings for access to the carpark. Ten former Housing Corporation houses, now owned by the council, would be removed. The project is being funded by grants from the WDC and ASB.