Manukau Rugby League Football and Sports Club has been allocated $80,000 for geotechnical assessment work around options for clubroom facilities.
The work is a priority project in the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Sport and Active Recreation Facilities Plan 2021.
Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board chair Tauanu'u Nanai Nick Bakulich says that plan was adopted in 2021 to provide guidance on providing local sporting facilities.
“Earlier this year the board allocated $80,000 towards implementing the plan by way of grants to community-led projects.
“After looking at all the live and eligible priority projects, the recommendation was to allocate the $80,000 to the club to investigate long-term clubroom options and implement short-term solutions to enable the club to deliver rugby league and serve the community.”
He says the board believes that local clubs can help deliver on its own outcome of ensuring residents have access to quality facilities.
“We are home to the largest population of Pacific people in Auckland and we also have a high proportion of Māori residents and growing ethnic diversity.
“That diversity means we need dynamic spaces and facilities. Our venues, local parks and open spaces must provide for the ever-changing experiences of our residents now and in the future.
“The best way for us to achieve that is to partner with mana whenua and the wider community so that we all share well-used and maintained local parks and playgrounds where we meet, play, and keep healthy.”
The Sport and Active Recreation Facilities Plan outlines the current network of sport and recreation facilities across Māngere-Ōtāhuhu – regardless of ownership, and identifies existing and future challenges and needs.
Broadly speaking it says the area is well-resourced with a network of parks, open spaces, water access and sport facilities, but also a high inactivity rate.
Manukau Magpies are based at Te Ara Tāwhana/Moyle Park in leased clubrooms that needed earthquake strengthening.
A recent condition assessment found cracking and slumping issues. The facility also has flooding issues, most recently in January when water reached 1.5 metres around the facility.
The clubrooms have since been closed by council’s compliance team due to health and safety concerns.
The club caters to more than 350 members. The facility itself has been an asset to community groups over the years, and its current state leaves a gap in provision.
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