Papatoetoe Multi-sports Facility project launch

Grass will this week start disappearing under heavy machinery at the Papatoetoe Recreation Grounds as the first physical work begins on the first stage of the $12 million Papatoetoe Multi-sports Facility project. Manukau Mayor Len Brown will take the controls of an earthmover to launch the project today (Wednesday 25 November 2009) at 2.30pm.

The project, which is in partnership with the Papatoetoe Sports & Community Charitable Trust, will see new tennis courts in the first stage, followed by artificial hockey turf, lighting towers, and club facilities.

“Many of the country’s top athletes have come out of Papatoetoe and this is an investment in our future elite athletes,” Mr Brown says

“But, it’s not just about the top echelon, it’s about the grassroots. Through the council’s partnership with the Trust, our youth will get tremendous opportunities to either take up sports as a recreation, or to discover their potential to take their sports further.

“Most of all, this is about community. We have an obligation to help our communities gain the confidence and the capacity to support our young people into constructive and healthy activities,” Mr Brown says.

“It’s been eight years to get to this point in the project. It’s worth those eight years to see something of this calibre come to fruition.”

Trust chair Rick Child says the new complex is the start of an exciting new era in local sports.

“The new tennis courts will rejuvenate Papatoetoe’s tennis facilities and will help our tennis players achieve locally and nationally.

“We see this complex becoming a hub for our community – creating opportunities and pathways to a healthy and active sporting life for Manukau’s youth. We will be able to reach a large number of our young people, provide them with coaching expertise and involvement in initiatives such as the Find Your Field of Dreams programmes, and access to the regional sporting bodies and Counties-Manukau Sports,” Mr Child says.

The next stage, timed for early next year, will involve demolition of the cricket pavilion and the existing tennis club, and construction of the artificial hockey turf on the present tennis site. New indoor practice nets will be an added bonus for the cricket fraternity.

Manukau City Council has contributed $8.6 million and the ASB Trust $1.7 million to the facility. The remaining funding of $1.7 million will be raised by the Trust.

The Papatoetoe Sports and Community Charitable Trust is made up of representatives from:

Papatoetoe Cricket Club
Manukau Radio Club
Papatoetoe United Soccer Club
Papatoetoe Tennis Club
Papatoetoe Rugby Football Club
Papatoetoe Hunters Corner Bowling Club
Southern Districts Hockey Club
Papatoetoe GirlGuiding
St George Scout Group.