History
Providing access to quality facilities is a fundamental part of what we do, and while our plans may have changed this remains a priority. Before the earthquakes struck designs were well underway for a new complex that would house all of New Brighton’s major clubs, as well as the RSA.
We're not planners or policy makers, but we are people of action. So we rolled up our sleeves and got busy rebuilding our community, doing whatever we could to increase safety, enhance health and well-being, and improve morale. By recognising the challenges in front of us and working together to overcome them this unique part of the city continues to defy the odds and get stronger. Our land and our buildings may have been damaged, but the spirit and resolve of New Brighton remains unbroken.
From teaching our kids how to be safe and confident in the water to sharing our knowledge of nutrition and fitness with people of all ages, we’re arming our community with vital skills. We have established and now treasure relationships with all of the schools within the eastern suburbs.
But with slow repair process to the homes, and with construction costs having escalated significantly, we simply could not justify pouring so many financial resources into one project. That meant we had to find a solution which more accurately balanced the needs of our people. As a result we've built an innovative facility that will unite and future-proof our community.
We have developed a multi-purpose facility located on Rāwhiti Domain (as per the Rāwhiti Domain Management Plan) to meet a variety of leisure, sport and recreational needs of people in the New Brighton area. Specifically:
- to ensure the sustainability of the umbrella organisation tasked with delivering community sports and recreation activity under the direction of a constitution that serves the needs of the founding clubs
- to develop an appropriate funding plan that involves the sale of assets, provision of capital, removal of older buildings on the reserve and funding support from key Trusts, the Christchurch City Council and Lotteries Commission
- to provide an active indoor sport and community space for a range of indoor/outdoor sport and fitness activities. A facility that delivers on our original intention for the Rāwhiti Domain and favours a flexible, adaptable and potentially relocatable solution (in line with the reserves management plan)
- to deliver a large and comprehensive range of sport and recreation programmes from the sport hall, courts and fields of the complex, starting with those that will provide opportunities for the founding clubs, but including those that will assist other similarly mandated organisations such as Sport Canterbury, Christchurch City Council, and other sport and programme providers.
None of this success would have been possible without the generous support of a host of sponsors and financial backers. From those who contribute to specific programmes or projects, to the funding agencies that support our entire operation, we offer a big, hearty…thanks heaps!
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