Catherine Stewart Tauranga City Councillor

A stadium is being mooted by the Civic Amenities Group. This group comprises of Paul Adams, Richard Cashmore, Dame Susan Devoy, Neil Craig, Peter Farmer, Graeme Horsley, Tom Roper and Mark Thomas.

For there to be robust, transparent debate and information on the topic, the idea needs to follow due process and go through Council's Annual Plan or Long Term Plan (10 year plan) where elected members and the community can become involved in the wider discussion.

Great ideas are always welcome; however they need to be presented to elected members and the wider community. Consideration needs to be given to matters such as potential relocation of users of the Domain, ongoing maintenance costs, depreciation, traffic and parking matters etc.

The future role of Baypark stadium would need to be part of the wider discussion. A stock take of facilities available within an hour or so of Tauranga would help inform the bigger picture.

We are fortunate to have philanthropists in our city who contribute to making Tauranga a better place to live, work and play – thank you for your contributions.