10 | T T to page 12 REGIONAL Waitaki District Council/Network Waitaki Events Centre Trust T T Karen Phelps New centre a new chapter for Waitaki “Whether it’s school sports, community events, performances or private functions, this building has been designed to adapt.” The newly opened Network Waitaki Event Centre is being hailed as a transformational project for the Waitaki district, with community leaders describing it as far more than just a sports venue. Opened in May at Centennial Park in Oamaru, the six-court complex is the first indoor facility of its kind in the region, and has been designed to host everything from major sporting tournaments to conferences, conventions, performances and community gatherings. Waitaki District Mayor Mel Tavendale says the scale of the development is something many people will not fully appreciate until they walk through the doors. “We have never had anything like this in the district,” she says. “People don’t understand how big the space really is. You could have six different sports going on at the same time in the same building.” The centre includes six sprung timber courts capable of hosting basketball, netball, futsal, volleyball, badminton, pickleball and court tennis. There is also a large, multi-purpose area, changing facilities, kitchen and kiosk spaces, office facilities and upstairs meeting and conference rooms with an outdoor balcony overlooking the park. It is already becoming a hub for local organisations, with tenants including Sport Waitaki and the North Otago Rugby Football Union. Youthtown and other community groups are also expected to make use of the facility. Accessibility and inclusivity were central to the design. Wider doorways, accessible changing and shower facilities and a ceiling-mounted sky hoist ensure the centre can cater for users of all ages and abilities. Mel says making the facility welcoming and flexible was a major priority. “It needed to be a place the whole community could use,” she says. “Whether it’s school sports, community events, performances or private functions, this building has been designed to adapt.” The venue also includes retractable seating, indoor cricket training facilities, interactive sports technology and hireable upstairs convention rooms, adding to its versatility. Waitaki District Council chief executive Alex Parmley says the project represents years of planning and strong community backing. This is THE perfect venue for your event! SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE MORE THAN SPORTϙϱϙťēôŘôϙÍŘôϙÍīŜĺϙıĺîôŘljϠϙƲôƄĖæīôϙŜŕÍèôŜϙťēÍťϙ ÍŘôϙŜŪĖťÍæīôϙċĺŘϙıôôťĖljČŜϠϙèĺljċôŘôljèôŜϙÍljîϙŜŕôèĖÍīϙċŪljèťĖĺljŜϟ SIXϙıŪīťĖċŪljèťĖĺljÍīϙĖljîĺĺŘϙèĺŪŘťŜϙ îôŜĖČljôîϙťĺϙÍèèĺııĺîÍťôϙæÍŜħôťæÍīīϠϙ ljôťæÍīīϠϙŽĺīīôƅæÍīīϙÍljîϙÍϙſĖîôϙŘÍljČôϙĺċϙ ĺťēôŘϙŜŕĺŘťŜ ALL WEATHER TRAININGϙſĖťēϙÍϙîôîĖèÍťôîϙıŪīťĖϱ ŪŜôϙŜŕÍèôϙťēÍťϙèÍljϙèÍťôŘϙċĺŘϙĖljîĺĺŘϙèŘĖèħôťϙÍljîϙ ıĺŘôϟϙIljèīŪîĖljČϙæĺſīĖljČϙıÍèēĖljôŜϙÍljîϙÍϙıŪīťĖϱæÍīīϙ ĖljťôŘÍèťĖŽôϙŜèŘôôljϙÍϙèŘôÍťĖljČϙÍϙƅôÍŘϱŘĺŪljîϙťŘÍĖljĖljČϙ ôljŽĖŘĺljıôljťϙċĺŘϙīĺèÍīϙŕīÍƅôŘŜϟ >ĺŘϙıĺŘôϙĖljċĺŘıÍťĖĺljϙĺŘϙťĺϙæĺĺħϙƅĺŪŘϙŜŕÍèôϙ ČĺϙťĺϙēťťŕŜϡϯϯſſſϟſÍĖťÍħĖϟČ厝ϟljƏϯ>ÍèĖīĖťĖôŜϯ bôťſĺŘħϱ®ÍĖťÍħĖϱôŽôljťϱèôljťŘô IS OPEN! Open Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-8.30pm | Sat 8.30am-5pm | Sun 9.30am-3.30pm
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