Franklin Local Board has approved more than $200,000 in grants under its Sport and Active Recreation Facilities Plan.
The largest grant goes to the Waiuku Netball Centre, $50,000 to reseal two courts, with the Franklin Agricultural and Pastoral Society picking up $36,200 to complete a new toilet and changing rooms building, and Surf Lifesaving Kariotahi getting $32,900 for planning costs associated with new clubrooms.
The Counties Manukau Tennis Association picked up $30,000 towards a needs assessment, feasibility study and business case for a new facility in Pukekohe, and the Clevedon Sports Club Society $25,863 toward completing a deck and storage area at the Clevedon Bowling Club Incorporated clubrooms.
Board members also approved a grant of $40,000 to the Pohutukawa Coast Bike Club towards the construction of new tracks in the Maraetai/Waiho block of Whitford Forest, but asked for clarity on arrangements to ensure accessibility to the wider community.
The board recently updated the plan’s priority projects, adding a canopy over two courts at Waiuku Netball Centre, three batter’s boxers for Pukekohe Softball Club, a backstop fence for Counties Baseball Club, and a needs assessment, feasibility study and business case to replace Bombay School’s pool.
Five projects have been removed; toilets and a covered court extension at the Pukekohe Netball Centre, clubrooms at the Pukekohe Rugby Club, a training court at the Puni Netball Club and the Waiuku Multisport Project’s sports partnership.
The netball centre’s two projects have both been completed, with the board providing around $185,000 in funding, while the rugby clubrooms are being built with an $89,000 board contribution.
The sports partnership with rugby at Waiuku is not now going ahead and the money to develop at Puni was used at nearby Bledisloe Park, a short drive away.
A further project, a Counties Manukau Hockey Association call to replace the No.1 turf replaces the call for lighting, a project already completed.
