Work begins on $32m Upper Hutt sports hub

Friday, 18 February 2022

Take a look at Upper Hutt's new $31.8 million sports hub.

Work has begun on Upper Hutt’s long planned $31.8 million Maidstone Community Sports Hub.

The project has faced delays due to the cost of construction and problems sourcing materials but on Friday Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Sport and Recreation, Grant Robertson, took part in a ground-breaking ceremony.

With demolition of the old clubrooms complete, construction can now begin on shared clubrooms and indoor training facilities.

The comprehensive redevelopment of Upper Hutt’s sporting and recreation facility has been fast-tracked, thanks to a $15 million funding boost from the Government.

* Government announces $30m for Upper Hutt sports science facility

* PM announces $12m for Maidstone Sportshub

* Lower Hutt now boasts the biggest sports hub in the region

An artist's impression of the shared clubrooms and training facilities planned for Maidstone Park.

* Mayor Wayne Guppy supports new Hutt Valley Sports Awards

Breaking new ground at Maidstone Park. Upper Hutt Mayor Wayne Guppy was joined in the ground breaking ceremony by Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson (left) and Remutaka MP Chris Hipkins. Looking on are representatives from the construction firm.

The hub will bring together a number of sporting codes, including rugby and the highly successful Heretaunga Boxing Club, under one roof.

Mayor Wayne Guppy said the hub would consolidate facilities and allow the codes and sporting clubs to operate in a more sustainable and efficient manner.

“We know many of our sports and clubs here in Upper Hutt are finding it hard to keep things going, with the impacts of Covid-19 and rising operating costs” he said. “Bringing everyone together to share the new facilities will be an absolute game changer.”

The hub has been designed in collaboration with sports clubs but once complete, Guppy said he believed it would position Maidstone Park as one of the top recreation and leisure destinations in the region.

“With nearby public transport and hospitality offerings, and the recently redeveloped and incredibly popular Maidstone Max, the park has the potential to become a unique and much sought after destination,” he said.

The nearby Maidstone Max playground and skate park had a $3.8m rebuild and work is well underway on a $30m multidisciplinary training centre on the former Central Institute of Technology site. It is hoped the training centre will eventually become the home of all the professional teams in Wellington, including rugby and football.

Last year, Guppy said the training centre would “complement” what the council was doing at Maidstone Park and would give locals access to world-class training facilities.

Other facilities planned for Maidstone Park include tennis, softball, hockey, pétanque, athletics and mountain biking.