Work has begun on the demolition of the public stand at the New Plymouth Raceway, marking a major milestone in the development of the Tūparikino Active Community Hub (TACH).

The removal of the stand will open the way for the construction of a six-court indoor stadium - the first stage of the project to enhance sport and recreation opportunities for the region.

New Plymouth District Council (NPDC) and Taranaki Racing Incorporated (TRI) have been working closely together to ensure racing and the community hub can operate seamlessly alongside each other.

TRI will continue its horse training and racing activities under a new lease arrangement, which includes measures to safely separate public access from horse-related activities. The layout also features a new event space for race days, which is expected to offer a multi-functional area that can incorporate marquees and mobile food and beverage offerings.

TRI CEO Anna Duncan said it’s fantastic to have reached an outcome that will ensure the continuation of racing in New Plymouth, while making way for a new era of community sport and recreation.

“We are pleased to see this stage of the project underway as it will enable Taranaki Racing to create a new event space for our members and visitors. The general public attending race days will experience some changes and disruption during construction, but TRI really value their attendance and will be making provisions to ensure their experience is still a positive one.

“TRI and the TACH project team have developed a great working relationship and have created a solution that safeguards the future of racing while allowing for the development of this community facility. The new lease agreement and event space will improve the experience for our members and visitors while ensuring our activities can continue safely alongside the community hub.”

ACR Demolition will oversee the clearance and aims to recycle 99 per cent of building materials from the stand, including crushing and reusing most of the concrete as fill material in the new car park and re-purposing the seating into mobile container grandstands.

“We’re excited to see work progressing on this long-anticipated community hub. The removal of the stand brings us closer to delivering a modern multi-sports facility that will serve the people of Taranaki, for generations to come,” New Plymouth District Deputy Mayor and Councillor David Bublitz.

TACH Independent Chairperson Lyal French-Wright said the project team are still working hard to raise additional funds and have been liaising with entities such as NP Partners and other potential sources to help reduce the rate payer contribution to the facility.

Construction of the hub will be planned so that scheduled events will continue to run with minimal disruption.

Fast facts:

• The Tūparikino Active Community Hub will have a new indoor stadium and sports fields that could hold national sports tournaments and events like kapa haka.
• We’re working with other partners in the project to get external funding and reduce the $50m cost to ratepayers.
• Groundworks started in late 2024 and we’re aiming to have the stadium open later in 2027.
• It will be an energy-efficient, low-maintenance building to keep the operating costs down.
• The TACH will share the site with Taranaki Racing, which has a lease for 33 years.

© Scoop Media