The Sports Hub Project

You might not have had the pleasure of meeting James Coleman. During his time as President of Kerikeri Football Club it grew to become the largest in Northland, and with close to 400 playing members (back in 2011) they were squeezed into their current facilities at Baysport Waipapa. James approached FNDC not knowing then that his goal to secure more football fields would evolve into a project that will benefit multiple sports codes and be a significant asset to our community.

James has dedicated several years building a strong case for a multi-use Sports Hub for our sporting community. He says “I didn’t need to look far… Gymnastics were operating out of a disused warehouse on Mill Lane which was up for sale, Rugby League were operating on the Kerikeri Domain with no facilities (using McDonald’s toilets as changing rooms). Cricket was operating from the Kerikeri Sports Complex (before moving to Kerikeri High School), Athletics also running from Kerikeri High School, Hockey and Softball both with no home in Kerikeri, and so the list grew”.

All of these sports codes operating in the most populated and fast growing area of the Far North still do not have a permanent home. With several codes requiring flat space for fields and multi-purpose facilities the land required is substantial (approximately 10 hectares minimum) which has been a challenging aspect with moving forward.

In the last 18-months the wheels have turned. Starting with FNDC engaging Global Leisure Group (GLG) to carry out a Kerikeri Sports Needs Assessment. During this time James has focussed on building positive relationships with stakeholders including; FNDC, GLG, Sport Northland, and community sports representatives, and he says with Council now actively seeking a piece of land we are close to achieving the first major milestone in the journey.

In February, Sport Northland facilitated a meeting of Kerikeri sports codes, this was supported by Mark Osbourne from Te Ahu, Kaitaia. The goal was to connect the codes, and understand their challenges and club’s vision for the future. Representatives put up their hands to form a working group that will collaborate with Council, community groups and prospective funding partners to drive this significant community project forward.