Strong backing for complex

Netball Wairarapa plans to build a three-court indoor stadium complete with sports offices at a cost likely to range between $4.5 m and $6 received an enthusiastic response at a public meeting in Masterton on Tuesday night.
"The message was, let's go," NW centre manager Kim Whiteman said yesterday."Everybody was very positive, we were absolutely rapt with the support we got."
A feasibility study which looks at potential sites for the proposed facility as well as what funding would be available, and from whom, will now be undertaken by a body likely to be established at another meeting to be held within the next fortnight or so. That body will take the form of a trust or a steering committee and hopes are it will include people with expertise in the building and financial fields."The first step is to ensure the project is viable," Whiteman said. "Establishing that is the number one priority and if it's on it will be all systems go."
In a special presentation entitled "Looking To the Future" made to Tuesday's meeting Whiteman said there were 1600 affiliated netballers in the Wairarapa with spectator numbers averaging about 2600 on a weekly basis.
Currently 11 courts were available at Colombo road in Masterton with resealing due in 2012-2013.None of the courts were of international standard and the pavilion was now 25yrs old.
Also utilised for club matches were five outdoor courts at Kuranui College and one indoor court at the Genesis Recreation Centre. It too did not meet international standards because of poor lighting and other factors.
Whiteman stressed the proposed purpose-built three-court stadium
would not be for netball only, it was vital other sports came on board as well
It would likely include an umpire and control room with view of the courts, canteen, first aid room, at least eight toilets and two showers, a training or meeting room, offices and, storage rooms. It would also need to be easy to heat and provide a well lit, safe location with significant car parking.
Whiteman noted a number of reasons why netball needed a stadium of that magnitude.
Current amenities were not up to international standard, practically all major netball tournaments were now being played indoors and with current facilities needing to be upgraded this was the time to move.
Whiteman said too there would be considerable advantages in various sporting codes within the Wairarapa basing themselves at the proposed stadium , among them the prospect of being able to duplicate administrative resources like photocopiers and computers,Also it would do away with the situation of pavilions not being used all year round.
Basketball, volleyball and tae kwon do are three sports who have already indicated a keen interest in joining netball in any new complex and the Golden Shears committee and some schools have done likewise.
Potential sites mooted to date for the complex include Lansdowne School, McJorrow Park and Solway Showgrounds in Masterton and the Clareville Showgrounds in Carterton with Whiteman emphasising there was no clear favourite in that regard. "That's where the feasibility study comes in........we need to ascertain just what is available and at what cost," she said.