Starling Park a New Zealand first: Setting a standard for the country

New Zealand’ first purpose-built dual sports facility, The Starling Park Sports Club, opens in Ranui on Saturday, featuring two separate grandstands in one building – one for softball and the other for soccer - and a unique e-lounge for youngsters.

It has been described as imaginative and innovative and as setting a new standard for neighbourhood sport facilities for not just the new Auckland City, but for the whole country. All this has been achieved at minimal cost to the ratepayer.

The new building is home to the Waitakere Bears Softball Club and the Ranui-Swanson Football Club, as well as being available to the local community as a community facility.

The double storey $2.6 million, 1124 sq m, building replaces a temporary structure burned down four years ago. It is somewhat V shaped to match the grounds it faces onto, giving the opportunity to have a grandstand on its southern and western ends .

Each stand has capacity for about 100 spectators.

Inside, it features a large main lounge, two viewing galleries, a commercial kitchen, a shop, and a youth electronic lounge (e – lounge). This pioneering e-lounge will enable youth members to use play stations, the internet and similar electronic appliances when they’re not out on the fields.

The new building is complemented by a major grounds upgrade which includes artificial turf, bringing the total value to about $3.5 million – and it will open debt free.

The ASB Community Trust, Waitakere Licensing Trust and the Lotteries Grants board have contributed $2.25 million for the building, with the balance of $250,000 coming from the former Waitakere City Council. The council also contributed $750,000 to the grounds upgrade.

Suresh Nagaiya whose company, N-Compass, project managed the project and helped raise more than $2 million, says the building is unique in many ways and proves what can be achieved when a council and a community work in partnership.

“We agreed with architect Andrew Bull to work upwards towards a vision and to find ways to make it happen, rather than be hobbled by assuming things couldn’t be done,” he says

“It needed a bold approach and took a lot of thinking outside the square, but the club and the community were up for it, and the end result is a building that sets a new standard and yet cost the ratepayer very little,” Mr Nagaiya says.

Starling Park Club President Wayne Reeves says that the club has been built for the future, with particular attention paid to the future needs of youth.

“We know that to be successful we have to be relevant. To be relevant to our young members – who are our future - the club has to be seen as a cool place to be at and a cool place to belong to,” he says.

“That’s one of the reasons we built the e-lounge. That’s what’s needed in today’s world and we’ve set out to meet that need. But not only that. We’re also challenging our young members to take responsibility for their area and for creating the activities that they want to see happen. Naturally, the adults will supervise, but as much as possible, we want the young people to run it. Then it’ll be theirs and they’ll own it and grow it and protect it,” Mr Reeves says.

Mr Reeves says the club has also been designed as a form of community centre that people in the Ranui area will want to use for social functions, even if they’re not club members.

“We’ve been told by sports officials and politicians, that we’ve set a standard for the whole of New Zealand,” Mr Reeves says.

“Well, I hope so because we’ve been very conscious of building for the future and creating a hub for the community to grow around. We want to help Ranui be known as a great place to be for adults and youth alike. And you don’t get that result unless you are bold and imaginative and focused on what our community wants, as we have been,” he says.

ENDS

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