Northland events centre to remain in public ownership

A big picture is emerging from a change in plans for control of  a new Northland Events Centre.
And it's giving Whangarei Mayor Stan Semenoff a shrinking feeling, he revealed when the Whangarei District Council (WDC) this week rescinded a decision made 11 months ago to hand over the stadium - now under construction at Okara Park in Whangarei - to an independent charitable trust. Instead, the WDC resolved to retain ownership of the land and the stadium, which is being built with $3million provided by the WDC, $13million
from the Northland Regional Council (NRC) raised with a special levy applied to all ratepayers in the region, and $2.5million from the Government to bring it up to Rugby World Cup standard.
Mr Semenoff told the WDC the stadium was another part in a district jigsaw (of sports facilities) keeping families and communities together so there would be "less on P and less on dope".
He praised previous council leaders for swimming, cricket, hockey and other sports facilities the WDC had helped provide over the past 15 years.

 Earlier, Cr Warwick Syers said the WDC had reconsidered its decision to transfer the events centre to a trust because future developments could make council ownership crucial.
Chief executive officer Mark Simpson said the WDC would pick up maintenance costs for the events centre in the same way  it  did for the Kensington Stadium and Whangarei Aquatic Centre.
Cr Crichton Christie said the WDC had "done the right thing" for the Northland Rugby Union.
The council approved a deed of trust for the new stadium and voted to indemnify trustees against any liability resulting from their role.
Cr Syers later told the Northern Advocate the rugby union had owned corporate boxes worth $400,000 in the former Okara Park stadium. The WDC had agreed to compensate the union with property rights to a lounge and changing rooms in the new building.
The stadium would have rental space on its second floor, a 700-seat lounge suitable for weddings and conferences and other hire facilities which the council hoped would make the operation break even.
Selection of the five trustees was under way and the council had appointed an experienced manager who would be named in February, Cr Syers said.
The WDC move follows settlement last week of conflict with the NRC, which had feared rugby union involvement threatened the stadium's agreed use as a regional multi-events centre.
The NRC - which as the legal constructor owns the building until it is completed next May - also blamed the WDC for a delay in the Government financial contribution.
NRC deputy chairman Ian Walker said the row was settled when the WDC agreed to provide a written assurance that when the stadium was completed it would  stay in public ownership and be maintained  for the benefit of all Northlanders.