15 December 2016

Mayor and Deputy Mayor to sign Toitu Pōneke Lease tomorrow (Friday)

Mayor Justin Lester and Deputy Mayor Paul Eagle will formally sign a new lease with the Pōneke Football Club tomorrow (Friday 16 December), opening the way for the new Toitu Poneke Community and Sports Hub.

Wellington City Council has contributed $750,000 to the establishment of the new hub, which will service seven local sports clubs.

Mayor Lester says the new facility will be great for the local community.

“It’s going to be great to have better facilities and to have seven clubs coming together to use the space. We’re hoping this will be the first of many of these hubs around the city in the future. They’ll help our local sporting clubs become more financially sustainable, while also providing good facilities for the public.”

Councillor Eagle, the Council’s Recreation Portfolio Leader, says the lease signing is the result of thousands of hours of work and highlights the significant challenges sports clubs are facing all over the city.

“We’ve worked really hard over the past few years to get this project going and it’s very satisfying to be able to formally sign the lease ensuring the survival of club sport in our city.

“The ability to maintain a clubroom, constantly fundraise and attract volunteers on top of retaining players and quality committee members is proving too difficult for many.

“Sports clubs across the east and south Wellington are the big winners. The hub approach means the 133-year-old Pōneke Football Club will share what was once their former home with six other sports clubs – and the door is always open for more to join.”

The lease will be formally signed at the Pōneke Clubrooms, Kilbirnie Crescent, at 8.45am tomorrow (Friday 16 December).

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