Venues: Basketball CEO chips in on hub debate

Will Johnston

New Zealand’s top basketball administrator has weighed in on the Tūparikino Active Community Hub debate.

Basketball New Zealand (BBNZ) chief executive Dillon Boucher said one of the biggest barriers to participation is the lack of quality facilities.

“It’s an important focus for BBNZ looking ahead, as basketball continues to grow as New Zealand’s most popular sport for youth,” he said.

BBNZ and Basketball Taranaki (BBT) are in favour of option two of the sports hub, which will see an extension of the three-court TSB Stadium to seven courts at the New Plymouth racecourse with a $35million price tag. It is just one of three hub-related options, which is part of the New Plymouth District Council’s draft $4billion 10-year long-term plan. 

Option two also includes a multi-use artificial turf, if funding allows, and upgrades to the grass sports field. It’s a significantly reduced version of the original plans that ballooned to $110million before it was put on hold. Other options include not proceeding at all to building the stadium along with a multi-use area and increased developments to the sports field costing $50million.

Having grown up in New Plymouth, Boucher knows how much the region would benefit from having an improved facility. It would directly meet the growing needs of the community, he said.

“The positive outcomes are numerous; it helps our aspiring athletes to reach their goals, it’s a hub for the community to enjoy and it brings events to this region to help it flourish.”

BBT general manager Kevin Fenwick said the current stadium has outgrown its use. He’s copping the impacts himself. 

“I’ve received phone calls from parents with distraught kids because they can’t play basketball in the New Plymouth school leagues this year,” he said. “The stadium is at capacity and teams are being turned away.” 

The current venue is being snubbed by BBNZ when it looks to host 32 tournaments during the year.

Instead, the TSB Stadium has been allocated a minor tournament as it doesn’t meet the criteria to host large events, Fenwick said.

He compared other venues across the country. Napier and Tauranga have a nine-court facility, Palmerston North boasts 13 and Wellington has six basketball and netball courts.

Volleyball Taranaki’s Phil Gayton said sport has been affected by the demands of the venue.

 “If we get bumped because of expos or corporate events, we struggle to find space on other nights,” he said. “We need a facility that’s just for community sport.”  

North-ward councillor Tony Bedford agrees but only supports the stadium expansion and not developments in the middle of the racecourse.

Submissions close on April 19.