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Albert-Eden
Local Board
03 August 2016
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Changes in
sportsfield allocation and user groups at Nixon Park
File No.: CP2016/15905
Purpose
1. The purpose of this report is to
inform the Albert-Eden Local Board of the outcome of consultation with all the
current and potential user groups who will be affected by Auckland
Rugby Union’s proposal to develop a multisport facility on Nixon Park,
as endorsed by the Local Board on 1 July 2015. The report also requests that
the Board confirms allocation of sportsfields in Nixon Park and Warren Freer
Park in order to further the Board’s priority of working in
partnership with Auckland Rugby Union to provide for sporting and community
needs on Nixon Park.
Executive
summary
2. At its 1 July 2015 meeting, the
Albert-Eden Local Board endorsed a concept for a new multisport facility at
Nixon Park, proposed by Auckland Rugby Union (ARU), to provide for all sporting
and other community needs associated with the site.
3. The offer of the facility was in
return for an agreed level of ARU access to the planned upgraded sportsfields
on the park. The Board resolved to support staff entering into ‘intention to
lease’ discussions with the ARU subject to obtaining agreement with the
following existing users of the park; Northern Region Lacrosse Association
Incorporated regarding the transfer of their activities to the new clubroom and
agreement from Touch Rugby, Central United Football Club and Eden Rugby Club
regarding the relocation of some of their sporting activities.
4. A consultation process was
undertaken with the affected clubs and staff have since received written
agreement from the ARU, Touch Rugby and Eden Rugby Club endorsing the proposed
field allocations and Northern Lacrosse Association has provided verbal
agreement.
5. Council has met with Central
United Football Club and discussed its shortfall in capacity along with ideas
for addressing it through use of Nixon Park, Warren Freer Park and other
neighbouring parks.
6. Central United Football Club
would like to remain at Nixon Park with increased field use on the new hybrid
field. If Central United were to remain at Nixon Park there would be some
capacity available during the day that could be allocated to the ARU. The ARU
has indicated that they would not be interested in investing any funds into a
new building on the site if they were not able to achieve their required field
allocation.
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Recommendation/s
That the Albert-Eden Local
Board:
a) Approves the transfer of
Central United Football Club‘s field allocation for training on Nixon Park
field 1 (full field) of eight hours per week, and field 2 (quarter field with
lights) of eight hours per week during the winter season and the weekend
competition games to Warren Freer Park.
b) Approves the transfer of Eden
Rugby Club’s field allocation for training on Warren Freer Park and the ARU’s
weekend competition allocation to Nixon Park.
c) Approves the proposed
allocation of capacity submitted by the ARU at Nixon Park on the condition
that it develops a new multi-sport facility at Nixon Park in order to provide
for all sporting and other community needs associated with the site.
d) Requests staff to continue
negotiations with the Auckland Rugby Union regarding maximising community use
of the proposed multi-sport facility at Nixon Park.
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Comments
7. At its business meeting on 1
July 2015 the Board considered a report that outlined an offer from the
Auckland Rugby Union (ARU) to fund the build of a new club / changing room
facility at Nixon Park in return for an agreed level of ARU access to the soon
to be upgraded sportsfields at the site.
8. Nixon Park is waiting for an
upgrade of its sportsfields to fibre reinforced sandcarpet along with new
lights. The upgrade will provide significant increased field capacity at the
site, including evening training in the winter. Currently there is no one club
based at the reserve with the facility predominantly being used by soccer in
winter and touch rugby in the summer.
9. The ARU has been looking for a
new training facility close to its administrative base at Eden Park and Nixon
Park was identified as a site that would be ideal for their requirements. In
return for access to the fields, the ARU proposed to invest in a new club /
changing room (ie a small multi-sport facility) that could serve the needs of
all users of the sportsfields and provide other park benefits.
10. After consideration of the report
the Board resolved the following:
Resolution number AE/2015/106
That the Albert-Eden Local Board:
a) endorses
the concept of a new multi-sport facility at Nixon Park in order to provide for
all sporting and other community needs associated with the site.
b) supports
staff entering into ‘intention to lease’ discussions with the Auckland Rugby
Union (ARU) that would accommodate both ARU investment in the build of a new
multi-sport facility and ARU access to the sportsfields at Nixon Park subject
to:
i. obtaining
agreement with the Northern Region Lacrosse Association Incorporated regarding
the transfer of their activities to the new clubroom.
ii. obtaining agreement from
Touch Rugby, Central United Football and Eden Rugby regarding the relocation of
some of their sporting activities.
iii. confirmation from the
ARU that the appropriate level of funding is in place to deliver a high quality
building design that meets council specifications and community needs.
iv. appropriate design
principles being applied in order to ensure that the size and scale of the new
building fits within the context of the landscape setting.
c) approves
the location of a new multi-sport facility at Nixon Park as per the attached
plan.
d) approves
provisionally the relocation of the playground to the western side of Nixon
Park (footprint of existing changing room) subject to confirmation through the
Parks portfolio.
Consultation with users about field
allocation
11. After the Board meeting, staff
met with the clubs affected by the ARU proposal to discuss their needs and how
they can be accommodated. Council has now received written agreements from the
ARU, Touch Rugby and Eden Rugby Club endorsing the new field allocations. At
the time of this report Northern Lacrosse Association has provided verbal
agreement.
12. Central United Football Club,
however would like to remain at Nixon Park. Staff have held discussions with
Central United on options for field allocation. Central United currently has an
allocation for training on Nixon Park field 1 (full field) of eight hours per
week, and field 2 (quarter field with lights) of eight hours per week during
the winter season. The number 2 field is only a quarter sized field, so the
actual capacity is two hours. This gives the club an actual total of 10 hours
per week, accommodating 60 junior and senior players. This capacity was the
maximum available hours of use; however Nixon Park is a soil-based field and
gets very wet and muddy in the winter, so these hours are regularly reduced
later in the season.
13. If Central United were to remain
at Nixon Park with increased field use on the new hybrid field, there would be
some capacity remaining, during the day that could be allocated to Auckland
Rugby. The CEO of Auckland Rugby has indicated that they would not be
interested in investing any funds into a new building on the site if this was
the proposed allocation.
14. Warren Freer Reserve is a sand
carpet field and is fully lit. There is also the equivalent of just under a
quarter of a field located next to the softball diamond. Relocating Central
United to Warren Freer Park would increase the capacity to a maximum of 20
hours a week accommodating for 50 junior and 40 senior players. This number
could be increased if the training was for juniors only. Being a sand carpet
field, restrictions of use will be reduced to a minimum.
15. While the increased capacity does
not solve the Club’s shortfall in capacity, it does assist it. Staff have
highlighted to Central United that there could be further possibilities to
reduce their remaining shortfall at parks in the surrounding area in the
future.
Options
16. Staff consider that there are two
key options for the Board’s consideration and recommend Option A.
17. Option A - Central United
Football Club moves to Warren Freer Park allowing the ARU to utilise Nixon Park
at their level of requirements and to continue developing the proposed
clubrooms and community use building. This will allow extending the possible
allocation of hours from 8 per field to a maximum of 20 for competition and
training for football. (This includes all areas of Warren Freer Park as it is
fully lit.) The usage during the winter season will be maximised due to Warren
Freer being a sand carpet surface and will only be minimally affected by the
weather.
18. Option B - Central United
Football Club remains at Nixon Park with increased allocation. This still
allows ARU to use the fields during the day, excluding the weekends. Any
unallocated use will be allocated by Auckland Council on a ‘needs basis’. After
discussions, the ARU has indicated thatthis option would not allow sufficient
allocation to warrant them funding the clubrooms and community facility.
Local
board views and implications
19. The Albert-Eden
Local Board has discussed the possible field allocations and the implications
to clubs with staff at workshops during 2015 and 2016.
Māori
impact statement
20. The contribution of parks
outcomes is of significant importance to tangata whenua, their well-being,
values, culture and traditions. Sites of significance to tangata whenua are an
important part of their heritage, established through whakapapa. Maori are also
major participants in sport and the provision of high quality sporting
infrastructure, including both fields and changing / club rooms, is therefore
of great importance to the Maori Community.
21. Ngāi Tai Ki Tāmaki,
Ngāti Paoa, Ngāti Whātua Orākei and Te Akitai Waiohua have
already been notified of the anticipated field upgrades, but all 12 iwi who
have historic connections with the Albert Eden area were notified in June 2015
of council’s intent to submit a resource consent for the field upgrades. Staff
will liaise with any iwi that require further information on the project and
update them should Auckland Council enter into formal discussions with the ARU
regarding the build of a new changing room facility.
Implementation
22. If the Board approves Option A as recommended, the ARU
would commence immediately with their detail designs and consents with a view
to build the proposed clubrooms as soon as practicable following consultation
with the council.
23. The proposed field allocations would be introduced at the
opening of the hybrid field, in advance of the 2017 winter sports season.
Attachments
There are no attachments for
this report.
Signatories
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Author
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Christopher Felton - Sports Parks Advisor
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Authorisers
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Mace Ward - General Manager Parks, Sports and Recreation
Adam Milina - Relationship Manager - Albert-Eden &
Orakei Local Boards
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