Further expansion of the Wanaka Recreation Centre (WRC) as a sports hub was indicated last week when the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) revealed its draft WRC masterplan.

The Wanaka App sat down with Sport Otago’s Tiny Carruthers to learn the significance this masterplan might have for local sports and recreation clubs.

Three years ago the QLDC contracted Sport Otago to manage the development of a regional sport and recreation facility strategy to address the future strategic directions and community needs of local sport and recreation facilities. 

This strategy, which was presented to the QLDC in January 2019, contributed to the development and implementation of the WRC masterplan. 

WRC initiative Sport 10 encourages a wide range of people to use the indoor courts. PHOTO: Supplied

Wanaka-based Tiny Carruthers wasn’t with Sport Otago when it was managing the strategy’s development but his subsequent liaison role with local sports and recreation clubs has given him a credible perspective on the clubs’ needs and desires.

Tiny said the three additional mixed-use indoor courts proposed in the masterplan would benefit several local clubs as the current courts can get congested, especially in the evenings. Netball NZ has indicated a long-term preference to see more netball played inside, for example.

He said the masterplan’s concept of shared sports clubrooms was also likely to be well supported. 

“One of the requirements of a sports club is somewhere they can socialise and meet. Many are functioning at the moment without it,” he said. 

However, there are a number of local groups with immediate needs who might not see any immediate relief in the proposed masterplan.

Mini Muscles classes at Aspiring Gymsports have been running for years and are still popular. PHOTO: Supplied

Two weeks ago Tiny held a meeting with nine sport and recreation groups all looking for a long-term home base.

Aspiring Gymsports and the Wanaka Trampoline and Tumbling were two such clubs. They’re willing to share a facility and their need for a large, affordable base is immediate, Tiny said. Having a dedicated space where their equipment can remain in place, though, is a key requirement.

Tiny said both were both “fantastic groups, well-organised and are providing fundamental skills to young people.”

“They operate for a lot of hours and run programmes for a wide range of people in the community but there’s so much gear they just can’t stack it all away, and when you’re looking at multi-use facilities that’s the thing that holds them back.”

The WRC masterplan does indicate a “movement centre” could be part of the new proposed multi-use indoor courts but even if a dedicated space could be created the new indoor courts are not scheduled for development within the next three years.

However, “if the feedback from sports users groups was strong enough to support gymsports and trampolining clubs maybe council would consider that as a possibility,” he said.

Development of a potential new sports hub on the former sewage ponds site off Ballantyne Road was identified in the facilities strategy and is listed in the proposed masterplan as a short-term solution. 

Tiny said this hub would be a welcome addition and would help relieve the demand for sports fields, especially for growing sports like football and rugby. The 20ha ponds site would need to be rezoned for active sports and recreation and the land undergo remediation first, however.

While the WRC masterplan’s proposed Cafe and Wellness Centre wasn’t identified in the facilities strategy, Tiny said the combination of a public pool and gymnasium (which could be part of the wellness centre together with pilates and physios) was a popular trend.

It could also help the council offset the operational costs of the recreation centre.

The WRC masterplan was approved by council recently (July 16) for public consultation.Tiny encouraged all local sports and recreation clubs and users to take the opportunity to provide the council with feedback. Public consultation begins from August 10.