Te Puke is set to become the hotspot for all things sport, fitness and wellness.
Slowly outgrowing their home facilities and calling for something bigger, better and purpose-built, a group of Te Puke sport and wellness charities and small businesses are curating a plan to put Te Puke on the map.
A collaboration between Te Puke Gymsport, Te Puke Dance Studios, Te Puke Hip Hop Academy, Bekki Monger Fitness, Te Puke Junior Football will create a 2000m2 Movement HQ where all providers will reside under the same roof offering sport, movement and wellness programmes for all ages.
Western Bay of Plenty District Council has granted permission for the group to lease land within Te Puke's Centennial Park for the new project as demand for training facilities overtakes the lack of large movement facilities in the Bay of Plenty.
Te Puke Gymsport general manager Erin McKenna, leading the new build initiative with support from a volunteer project committee, says the new facility will cater to more than 1500 members in Te Puke weekly – and will be on offer to all members of the public – providing many different kinds of opportunity to support people's sport, fitness and wellbeing journeys.
'The need is for a sport, recreation and fitness community space offering classes and programmes accessible to all abilities and ages, ranging from babies through to older age. It is so critical and needed now for our community,” says Erin. She believes the new facility will provide more health and wellness opportunities for those often trying to work fitness, sport and recreation around busy everyday lives.
'We want you to be able to bring your child to gymnastics, dance or a fitness class, drop them off and then be able to attend your own class. Our goal is to have activities available for the whole family at the same time,” says Erin.
With Te Puke Gymsport's annual membership tally at more than 700 people, Erin says they're outgrowing their current base fast.
'The new sport, recreation and fitness centre is demanded heavily, with Te Puke Gymsport members living locally but also traveling from as far as Tauranga, Whakatāne and Rotorua, to use the current facilities.” Gymsport includes gymnastics, tumbling, parkour and trampoline – all currently operating under one club.
'We identified a need for a larger facility and when we had a look around the community we realised there was a lack of this type of facility in town,” says Erin.
'There's also a lack of Gymsport training facilities within the BOP. Gymnasts in the region currently travel to Auckland for pit training, this facility – which is included in the build – will allow our BOP gymnasts equal training opportunities to those in other regions.
'Gymsport and other sport clubs in the region will utilise this facility for training purposes and competitions.”
Erin says local dancers are practising on carpet with no mirrors, others are renting halls that are at times not available, and Te Puke Junior Football has no clubroom or storage facilities at Centennial Park. 'To cater for the demand for these sports and recreation activities, and to offer more activities for all ages in our community, a new multipurpose facility is needed.”
Erin and the volunteer project committee are asking for donations and sponsorship to help support the new build project for the benefit of Te Puke's community – and the Bay of Plenty.
'Funders have said they will support the project and the new Movement Centre and the committee will apply for this support; we're also looking for donations of all sizes and sponsorships. We're actively talking to local businesses to see if they can provide support to move this project forward.”
To learn more, visit: www.bopmovementhq.co.nz To donate or offer sponsorship, contact Erin by emailing: gm@tepukegymsport.co.nz Or call 021 973 505.