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• By Jaime Cunningham<br />
RESIDENTS ARE now being<br />
asked to provide feedback on<br />
the provision of sporting and<br />
recreational facilities in <strong>Selwyn</strong><br />
over the next decade.<br />
The Draft Sport, Active Recreation<br />
and Play Spaces and Places<br />
Plan aims to ensure the district<br />
has “the appropriate” facilities to<br />
support sport and recreation in<br />
the future.<br />
The plan has been developed<br />
through a review of existing<br />
information such as population<br />
analysis, surveys to local clubs,<br />
organisations and educators,<br />
and internal district council<br />
workshops.<br />
Stakeholders have identified<br />
large sports in the region are<br />
struggling with space limitations,<br />
while space is also needed<br />
to accommodate newer sports<br />
that are gaining popularity.<br />
With the projected population<br />
of <strong>Selwyn</strong> expected to be near<br />
100,000 in 2033, it is anticipated<br />
the demand for sport and recreational<br />
services, clubs and<br />
facilities will also increase. This<br />
is particularly expected in townships,<br />
with almost half of the<br />
district’s population expected to<br />
be in Lincoln and Rolleston in<br />
2033.<br />
The spaces and places plan<br />
was created to “provide a<br />
framework” that identifies what<br />
facilities are required in the next<br />
10 years. The district council has<br />
recognised the importance of<br />
encouraging participation and<br />
wants to “future-proof” the need<br />
for additional facilities.<br />
From 2013 to 2018, the district<br />
was the second-fastest growing<br />
in the country, and with <strong>Selwyn</strong>’s<br />
largest age group projected to be<br />
15-19 years by 2030, the council<br />
has identified a need to cater<br />
for activities preferred by the<br />
increasing younger population.<br />
<strong>Selwyn</strong> Netball Centre<br />
president Andrea James believes<br />
around half of the centre’s 2700<br />
members were under the age of<br />
18, while Ellesmere Rugby Sub-<br />
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz<br />
Union chairman Chris Thornley<br />
said about 60 per cent of rugby<br />
players were at junior level.<br />
The district council has focused<br />
on accommodating sports<br />
with the largest participation<br />
numbers and increases, as they<br />
are most likely require additional<br />
resources in years to come.<br />
An initial survey sent to<br />
more than 290 local clubs,<br />
organisations and educators<br />
identified the expected growth<br />
of individual sports. Sports<br />
such as cricket, gymnastics, and<br />
basketball are expected to have<br />
a membership increase over 11<br />
per cent in the next three years,<br />
with larger sports like netball<br />
and rugby to either stay the same<br />
or increase by less than five per<br />
cent.<br />
District council open<br />
spaces and strategy manager<br />
Mark Rykers said the plan<br />
“acknowledges that there<br />
are some sports struggling<br />
with increasing numbers of<br />
participants and the need to add<br />
additional space and rethink<br />
how the space is used.”<br />
“This consultation is to help<br />
make sure we’re getting it right<br />
on where and what those projects<br />
need to be.”<br />
A list of current planned investments<br />
into sport and recreational<br />
facilities is included in the<br />
plan, along with the anticipated<br />
need for facilities by 2033.<br />
Although there is currently 2.9<br />
standard pools in the district,<br />
which meets the current demand<br />
of 2.5, the benchmarking found<br />
that 43 per cent of <strong>Selwyn</strong>’s pools<br />
are outdoor, compared to the<br />
Canterbury average of just 19 per<br />
cent. The plan indicated more<br />
indoor pool space will be considered<br />
for the development of a<br />
planned facility in the Malvern<br />
area in 2030/31.<br />
The draft plan also found the<br />
10 indoor courts in the district<br />
were sufficient for the current<br />
population of 73,600, with just<br />
one or two more needed by 2033.<br />
Each individual sport has also<br />
NEWS 5<br />
Feedback sought on provision of sports facilities<br />
DEVELOPMENTS: Even though the number of standard<br />
pools in the district meet current demand, 43 per cent of<br />
them are outdoors.<br />
Wednesday <strong>November</strong> <strong>23</strong> <strong>2022</strong> <strong>Selwyn</strong> <strong>Times</strong><br />
FAST FACTS<br />
• <strong>Selwyn</strong>’s projected 2033<br />
population – 99,600<br />
• Almost 50 per cent of the<br />
district population will be<br />
in Rolleston and Lincoln in<br />
2033.<br />
• In 10 years, the largest<br />
age groups in <strong>Selwyn</strong> will<br />
be between 10-24.<br />
• Over $85 million of<br />
current investments into<br />
sport and recreation<br />
infrastructure is planned<br />
from now until 2031.<br />
• Football teams in the<br />
district rose 270 per<br />
cent from 47 teams<br />
to 128, between 2012<br />
and 2019, while cricket<br />
team numbers doubled<br />
between 2014 and 2020.<br />
been summarised with current<br />
issues that have been highlighted<br />
through the survey sent to stakeholders<br />
in the district, which the<br />
district council has considered<br />
potential solutions to.<br />
Residents are able to provide<br />
their feedback on the district<br />
council’s draft plan until 5pm,<br />
December 9, with the final plan<br />
expected to be formally adopted<br />
in early 20<strong>23</strong>.<br />
•Submit your feedback to<br />
https://yoursay.selwyn.govt.<br />
nz<br />
Styles may differ to images shown.<br />
409 Main South Rd, Hornby<br />
dress-smart.co.nz
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