A study looking at how sports groups currently utilise our district’s sporting facilities and fields will assist in planning development projects over the next 10 years and beyond.

The utilisation study was co-funded with Sport Canterbury and surveyed local sports groups about participation rates, access to facilities and challenges they were facing, and the result is an 86-page document with recommendations for Council and the wider sporting community.

It identified growing numbers in netball and basketball, and more demand than current capacity at the EA Networks Centre stadium after 3pm. The report also suggested Argyle Park could be redeveloped to become the home of football and softball.

Council’s People and Facilities Group Manager Sarah Mosley said the utilisation study identified some potential projects for council to consider during the process of setting its Long Term Plan 2024-34.

“There is quite a lot of information in the report and we thank those groups who met with our consultant Xyst or who took part in the information-gathering process.

“In regards to development at EA Networks Centre, the first step is to create a draft masterplan based on the utilisation study and then engage with the wider community to check we are including the right projects within the upcoming Long Term Plan.”

The full report and summary is available online here.