Council considers push for stadium

Indoor bowls players in Whangarei are keen to see the old Countdown building in Kensington turned into a shared indoor sports stadium. Photo / Michael Cunningham

More than 300 ratepayers and businesses have requested the Whangarei District Council convert the old Countdown building in Kensington into a shared indoor sports stadium.

The request, part of submissions to the 2015-2025 Long Term Council Community Plan (LTCCP), will be one of several issues to be discussed by councillors during an extraordinary council meeting tomorrow.

The council received 311 submissions requesting the building, owned by the Northland Regional Council, be a shared indoor stadium. There were also 15 letters of support from businesses and groups.

The sale of the building for a medical centre fell over late last year and the NRC is currently exploring options and seeking expressions of interest from developers with a strong track record of completing similar projects.

Indoor bowler Alan Agnew, from Ruatangata, had his eye on the old Mitre 10 building in Regent as a possible venue for indoor bowlers, disabled athletes, old people and others needing affordable premises for their activities before it was bought by Countdown.

He then instigated a move to the old Countdown building in Kensington.

Mr Agnew said Kensington Stadium was too cold for sports because of the high roof while the unlined Badminton Hall in Toetoe Rd, where members of the Whangarei Indoor Bowls Association currently played, was too cold in winter and too hot in summer.

"A lot of players come to Whangarei from Kaitaia, Bay of Islands, Dargaville and even Wellsford to play indoor bowls and they wouldn't go to the Far North, they would come to a place in Whangarei which is handy to town," he said.

A host of other issues raised by ratepayers in the LTCCP would be discussed at tomorrow's meeting, including funding for key infrastructure and community projects, rates' rise, provision of a cemetery in Ruakaka, and parking in central Whangarei.

Reduced opening hours currently being trialled at transfer stations is also on the meeting agenda.