Whanganui councillor Philippa Baker-Hogan pushes for velodrome project

Councillor Philippa Baker-Hogan wanted Whanganui & Partners to give the velodrome project high priority. Photo / Bevan Conley

Velodrome project chairwoman and district councillor Philippa Baker-Hogan's last-ditch attempt to give roofing Whanganui's velodrome high priority failed at a council meeting this week.

Whanganui District Council met on Tuesday to receive statements from council-controlled organisations about what they intend to do for the next three years.

Baker-Hogan was very disappointed economic development agency Whanganui & Partners didn't list roofing Whanganui's velodrome as a key project. She said both the current and previous governments had promised $6 million toward it, and the council itself had agreed to $1m toward the $12m to $22m project.

Whanganui & Partners chief executive Mark Ward told councillors he has had many meetings about the velodrome project - "more than on any other topic".

But Whanganui & Partners didn't have enough evidence about the project's feasibility or the ability to get it funded, or whether it was "the right spend for this community".

"We will do the heavy lifting if Whanganui needs an events centre more than it currently has," Ward said.

An artist's impression of how the velodrome could look with a roof.

The council was uncertain about the project's merits, Whanganui mayor Hamish McDouall said. On February 18 its property and community services committee voted to get an independent report on the velodrome roofing project, due by June 30.

"It's not a project that sits with Whanganui & Partners. It's clearly our project," McDouall said.

Ward said Whanganui & Partners would welcome that report, and that it would be final. Until then it would continue its "dispassionate approach".

Baker-Hogan asked to amend the council motion to receive Whanganui & Partners' statement of intent, by giving the velodrome project high priority.

"We should right this wrong, put this in here now, approach the Provincial Growth Fund and Government for funding," she said.

McDouall said Baker-Hogan had missed the correct time to amend the statement and did not accept her motion.

Baker-Hogan responded by voting against receiving Whanganui & Partners' statement of intent, the only councillor to do so.