New facilities coming to Rototuna

Proposed plans for a Rototuna Sports Park. Image / Hamilton City Council

Rototuna residents are about to see a year of large development with public consultation set to take place on a new community facility.

A project team has been working on the next stage of the Rototuna community facilities development since October.

This is being guided by the hundreds of suggestions made in the open days late last year, the 10-Year Plan submissions, and meetings with community representatives.

Council approved $19.6 million in the 2018-2028 10-Year Plan for a library, community spaces such as meeting rooms and an outdoor plaza, as well as to investigate the opportunities for non-rates investment in a pool.

By February 2019, the project team expects council to approve up to three different options, on which the public will be invited to provide feedback.

Once the community feedback is considered, the project team will then recommend a final option to council around May 2019.

"As the brief for Rototuna has always been driven by, and is for the community, it is critical they have input before any decisions are made," said the council's Rototuna project team leader Natasha Ryan.

"Therefore, we are making sure when the options are approved for consultation, they will be shared widely in the Rototuna community including schools, iwi, the North Eastern Community Hub, businesses, ethnic groups and community organisations.

"We will run the engagement process for about six weeks to ensure everyone who wants to, can have their say."

The project team are considering what size and shape the buildings might be, how they integrate with the outside spaces and playing fields, how people will move around, how to make the spaces user friendly and accessible to everyone, the types of facilities people want and need now and in the future and how to ensure the special character of Rototuna is realised in its new town centre.

The feasibility assessment is also looking at the cost to build and operate, and opportunities for partnerships.

A decision on the preferred option for the community facilities will happen by June. After this time the detailed design and consenting will get under way, with construction planned for completion in 2022.

Over the next three years the council is also investing in other major projects in the Rototuna area including the Borman Road extension, and the Gordonton Road corridor.
Traffic lights are set to be installed by March at the Thomas Rd and Gordonton Rd intersection, while safety improvements have already begun taking place on the Gordonton Rd corridor.

The Resolution Drive extension from Borman Rd is also under construction, and set to open in 2020 with the Waikato Expressway.