Community based groups, such as Aspiring Gymsports and Kahu Youth, are relishing the news they will have a permanent home at last as the council announced funding for a new youth and community centre at the former Mitre 10 building this week. 

Kahu Youth worker Richard Elvey said the new centre was “the best outcome for all; a win-win where everyone is happy with the situation”.

Aspiring Gymsports coach Rae Paterson agreed, saying it was fantastic news for the whole community: “Committee, coaches and members were thrilled to hear the news and are excited about the opportunities that a new venue has to offer.” 

A sum of $1M, comprising $750k of capital expenditure plus $250k of grants, has been included in the Queenstown Lakes District Council’s (QLDC) 10-year Plan 2021-31 for the lease and fitout of the building in Anderson Heights this year and it’s expected to receive councillors’ approval when they formally adopt the plan at a meeting next Wednesday (June 30).

Sport Central’s community sports advisor Tiny Carruthers had identified 39 sports and community groups needing new facilities either immediately or within the next five years.

Kahu Youth’s current home is on Russell Street near Wanaka’s CBD. PHOTO: Wanaka App.

Aspiring Gymsports has been lobbying for almost 10 years for the council to provide an affordable, spacious venue for its rapidly growing club with more than 300 members.

Rae said the new centre couldn’t have come at a more perfect time as the club has waiting lists for nearly every recreational class and intensive training is needed for the club’s champion team of junior competitive gymnasts.

Aspiring Gymsports will be looking to lease its own dedicated space within the refurbished complex which will allow it to leave its equipment in place.

“We will be reviewing all of our programmes on offer and consulting the community. We want to be able to offer something for everyone. It’s an amazing opportunity to be able to plan a whole new approach to our pathways and programs,” Rae said.

This vacant property on Ladies Mile, purchased in 2019, will also be retrofitted as a community centre. PHOTO: NZSothebys.Queenstown

“We have already had approaches from coaches of many different gymnastic disciplines, enquiring about moving to Wanaka to work at our club.” 

Kahu Youth, which provides programmes and social services for young people, has around 500 to 600 people on its books, mostly Mount Aspiring College (MAC) students, all trying to access their current base - a 120m2 house in Russell Street.

“We outgrew our building two or three years ago,” Richard said, and while the Kahu Youth Trust hasn’t made a commitment yet, he would be very surprised if it didn’t intend to lease a dedicated space - about ‘double the size” of their current venue - in the new youth centre.

The location of the new shared venue just around the corner from MAC “is perfect and what’s really exciting is it will open brand new avenues for us to explore and collaborate with other community groups”, he said.  

After the 10-year Plan is signed off by councillors, the QLDC will be seeking “expressions of interest” from local community groups wanting to either lease a dedicated space within the centre or interested in sharing a space, QLDC sport and recreation manager Simon Battrick said.

Subject to successful negotiations with its owners, council intends to lease the former Mitre 10 building for up to 10 years, providing some certainty for the many local groups which have struggled to find a permanent, affordable home as well as a base for a range of QLDC sport and recreation programmes, he said.

The council anticipates the centre will generate an annual revenue of around $100k for programmes and $275k in venue hire and will need 4.88 full-time staff to run all operations.