MEDIA RELEASE – for immediate release

18 April 2017

Sod turning kicks off the construction of a new marine sports centre at Okahu Bay

Today marks the day of the official beginning of a $13 million marine based multi-sport facility at The Landing in Okahu Bay.

Mark Taylor, Chairman Akarana Marine Sports Charitable Trust; Sally Garrett, Commodore Royal Akarana Yacht Club, Desley Simpson, Councillor Auckland Council - Orakei Ward; Ian Ferguson, NZ Olympian, founder of Fergs Kayaks and GM for Whero Whitewater Park; and Chris Dickson, former America’s Cup skipper and RAYC member, among others, turned the sod at the previous home of the Royal Akarana Yacht Club on Wednesday, 12 April allowing construction of the new marine sports facility to commence.

The facility – Hyundai Marine Sports Centre – will actively promote and provide sports education, recreation and leisure opportunities in an environment in which people can grow and explore in and around the sea. With a public café and ability to host world-class sporting events, the centre will truly be a lively community destination.

The new centre will be home to a wide variety of clubs including Royal Akarana Yacht Club, Auckland Sailing Club, Waka Ama, Sailability Auckland, Royal Akarana Paddlers, Auckland City Tri, The University of Auckland water sports clubs and many more.

“With a vision to provide a safe pathway to the sea, to keep our children active and provide the ability to learn, participate and have fun on the water this is an exciting milestone for our founders, key partners, supporters, the Orakei community and Auckland“, says Mark Taylor, Chairman Akarana Marine Sports Centre Charitable Trust.

It is the end of an era for Royal Akarana Yacht Club’s (RAYC) clubrooms, but certainly not the club. On 30 April 2012, its members voted to establish the Akarana Marine Sports Charitable Trust and gift the Club’s leasing rights of its site in Okahu Bay to the Trust for the purpose of developing a new marine based multi-sports facility.

As Sally Garrett, Commodore of Royal Akarana Yacht Club explains, “In 1952 the Royal Akarana Yacht Club was built by ourselves, but today we are building a club with our friends. These new facilities are going to be fantastic, and what will be the best part is that together we are building a unique water-sports centre for our wider community.”

The Hyundai Marine Sports Centre will open in time for the summer of 2018.

ENDS

About Akarana Marine Sports Charitable Trust and Hyundai Marine Sports Centre

The Akarana Marine Sports Charitable Trust was established to create an international quality marine based multi-sport facility to enable education and participation that is inclusive and accessible for all of our community.

The way in which clubs and communities are delivering sport today is changing. With increasing popularity and growth, regional organisations, clubs and community groups are looking to provide stronger pathways to connect people to sports, recreation and active lifestyles.

The Akarana Marine Sports Charitable Trust aims to provide a safe and well informed environment in which people (tangata) can have fun, grow and explore some of NZ’s key taonga (treasure) – our moana (sea) and our whenua (land).

Okahu Bay has a rich historical and cultural presence on the Auckland waterfront. The planned new facilities will preserve this history as well as enhancing the vibrant environment that is Okahu.

Founding partners Royal Akarana Yacht Club and Auckland Sailing Club, who have now merged their organisations, together with key partners Ngati Whatua Orakei, the Orakei Local Board and University of Auckland are instrumental in the delivery of this exciting project – the Hyundai Marine Sports Centre.

To be built on The Landing in Okahu Bay and due for completion in 2018, The Hyundai Marine Sports Centre will allow for a wide variety of sports events to run concurrently. In addition, it has the capacity to operate as a hosting facility for larger national and international events, and provide outstanding training areas and meeting rooms equipped with the latest audio visual and learning aides. It includes over 800m2 of training and educational areas as well as event spaces capable of hosting more than 300 people.

The Hyundai Marine Sports Centre will remain the home of the historic Royal Akarana Yacht Club as well as other sports clubs.

www.amsct.co.nz

www.akaranamarinesports.co.nz

© Scoop Media