Sports hub proposed for Greytown

SPORTING FUTURE: A new sports hub is planned for Greytown next to Kuranui College.

An exciting development is on the drawing board for Greytown, with a proposal for a new sports hub.

The hub would be for winter sports, and include both indoor and outdoor facilities based around Kuranui College.

Prime Community Trust, a community and sport funder, has bought land next to the college, and the Ministry of Education is willing to be part of a development to see facilities created for the use of both the community and the school.

A taskforce to move the idea forward includes representatives of Greytown Trust Lands Trust, Greytown Sport and Leisure Society, Greytown Community Board, Kuranui College, young players, and South Wairarapa District Council.

The role of the taskforce is to gather information and consult with the community so as to make recommendations to optimise the sporting and leisure facilities in the town, and ensure first class sporting and leisure facilities are available in the future.

It will be chaired by Karl Nesbitt, operations manager for City Care's parks and reserves team in Greytown.

Executive officer for the Greytown Sport and Leisure Society Paora Ammunsen said Mr Nesbitt was "the obvious choice to chair the taskforce.

"He brings a neutral viewpoint to the table, along with his strong background in sports administration and facility management. His role with City Care as the council's parks and reserves contractor gives him a good overview of the existing sports facilities in Greytown and the wider region."

The new sports hub will focus on winter sports, while summer sports would continue to be based around Soldiers' Memorial Park in Kuratawhiti St.

Mr Nesbitt said this may mean some codes and clubs moving from their present locations to make the most efficient use of the existing space.

"The sportsfields at Kuranui are under-utilised, while Soldiers' Memorial Park is used year-round, with cricket in summer and football in winter.

"With the lengthening of the sports seasons, there is very little turn-around time between codes, and it's a real challenge to turn a cricket outfield into a football pitch in autumn, and back to a cricket outfield in early summer."

Mr Nesbitt said the taskforce is looking to ensure that sports and leisure activities remain accessible and affordable.

"We want to ensure that sports, and sports clubs, are supported and remain viable into the future.

"We also need to ensure that Greytown's facilities are complementary to what's available in the other south Wairarapa towns, rather than competing with them," he said.

The taskforce is carrying out a survey of Greytown residents and sports clubs to gauge interest in, and support for, the proposed sports hub.

It can be taken online, and paper copies are available from Greytown Library and the Greytown Sport and Leisure Society office.

"If you're interested in sport and the opportunity to have first-class sporting facilities in Greytown now and in the future, please take a few minutes to respond to the survey," Mr Nesbitt said.