Media release

May 4, 2009

Sporting chance for Starling Park clubrooms

A new multi-use sports club on Ranui’s Starling Park is a step closer after Waitakere City Council approved concept designs for the structure. Users of the Starling Park Sports Club Incorporated, which include the Ranui Swanson Association Football Club and Waitakere Bears Softball Club, have been without a permanent home since the club rooms were destroyed by fire in 2005.

The proposed building will be two storeys and is expected to cost around $2.4 million to construct.

Features of the concept approved by the council’s Infrastructure and Works Committee this week include:

Junior lounge on the ground floor to accommodate around 60 children, medical and changing rooms, tuck shop and umpire room. An expansive viewing window looking out over the playing fields. An area purpose-built for club functions, which could be hired by the local community. Concrete viewing stands to the west and south of the clubrooms allowing for elevated viewing of softball and football matches.

“New leisure facilities like this provide opportunities for residents to participate in sport and or physical activity,” says committee chairman Derek Battersby.

“Of equal importance is that the new facility would become an asset for the whole community.” The council is contributing $1m from its Leisure Partnership Fund to the project – the money granted on the proviso that the clubs can obtain the balance from external sources. The money has been allocated through the 2008/2009 Annual Plan.

The committee’s approval means the project can progress to the next phase of an architect to come up with a detailed design, which will come back to council’s Parks Design Review Panel for final approval.

© Scoop Media