Whakatāne District Council today agreed to progress with community consultation on draft plans for the potential re-development of Whakatāne War Memorial Hall and Rex Morpeth Park.
The plans each take into consideration Whakatāne War Memorial Hall, the 17 hectares of surrounding reserve land at Rex Morpeth Park and Rugby Park, Whakatāne Aquatic and Fitness Centre and Whakatāne Arts and Craft Centre - collectively referred to as the 'Rex Morpeth Recreation Hub'.
General Manager Community Experience Georgina Fletcher says the hall, theatre and surrounding fields and facilities are one of the district’s most loved and used community assets, however they are no longer fit for purpose.
“The Rex Morpeth Recreation Hub is a place where many memories are made, and lifelong friendships and skills are developed.” She notes, “However, some time ago Council acknowledged the need for significant upgrades and a commitment was made to upgrade the hall and develop a master plan for the surrounding fields and facilities as part of the 2021-2031 Long Term Plan.”
“The hall and theatre have not been updated for 50 years and changes are required in response to its condition, varying uses and modern challenges. For example, basketball and volleyball are now two of the most popular sports that our rangatahi/youth are playing, and demand for indoor court space after school exceeds supply meaning young people are missing out as a result.”
Council gauged community support for the initiative and sought feedback regarding what the future of the hub could look like before progressing with the master planning process.
“We worked with our communities and key users of the facilities to better understand current uses and consider what the future of this space could look like. Three master plan options have now been developed based on this feedback,” says Mrs Fletcher.
Council will be seeking community feedback on the options, which provide for a wide scope of potential changes to the existing spaces and facilities within the Rex Morpeth Recreation Hub.
The options range from doing the bare minimum to maintain the existing facilities, to a full redevelopment which proposes alternative locations for an events and indoor sports space within the existing park. In addition, one option provides for the theatre to be moved offsite to an alternative location. All options beyond status quo will be costly to develop with initial high-level costings ranging from $75m to $139m.
Mrs Fletcher recognises that it’s tricky to discuss investing in our district at a time when the cost of living is front of mind.
“It’s important to plan now for future generations, so we can work towards staging development over time and have credible plans in order to seek external funding,” she says. “Typically, community facilities such as this can attract a significant portion of external funding so it’s important to keep this in mind when having a say on preferred options.”
“This is a unique opportunity to ensure that we meet the current and future social, cultural, and sporting needs of our communities.”
Consultation on the Rex Morpeth Recreation Hub opens Monday, 11 September, and everyone is encouraged to have their say by Monday, 9 October. Staff will host community pop-in sessions, attend Community Board and resident association meetings and an online survey will also be available.
Following community feedback an evaluation report will be presented to elected members along with a preferred option which will be included within the 2024 – 2034 Long Term Plan consultation.
View the draft master plan options - (PDF, 4.6 MB)
Find out more about Mā Koutou, Mā Tātau - Our People, Our Spaces »
Key dates:
- Consultation runs Monday, 11 September – Monday, 9 October
- Community pop-in sessions planned to date are:
- Saturday, 9 September, 10am to 12pm, Te Kōputu a te whanga a Toi / Whakatāne Library
- Wednesday, 13 September. 1pm to 3pm, Main Council Building
- Thursday, 14 September, 4pm to 6pm, Whakatāne Aquatic and Fitness Centre
- Thursday, 21 September, 11.30am to 1.30pm, Wharaurangi