New Spaces and Places Strategy supports facility planning and development

Sport Bay of Plenty is proud to present the Bay of Plenty Spaces and Places Strategy 2024.

The Strategy, a collaboration between Sport Bay of Plenty, Sport New Zealand Ihi Aotearoa, Kawerau District Council, Ōpōtiki District Council, Rotorua Lakes Council, Tauranga City Council (including Bay Venues Ltd), Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Whakatāne District Council, has been designed to guide the development and planning of facilities for play, active recreation, and sport.

With the region experiencing significant population growth, there is increasing demand for new and improved spaces to support these activities. These demands, however, are occurring at a time when councils, funders, the sport and recreation sector and participants are feeling the burden of an economic downturn.

The Strategy provides a framework to help councils, funders, and community organisations make informed decisions about prioritising and investing in these spaces. By focusing on innovative and effective planning, the Strategy aims to enhance community access to and engagement with physical activity, and ensure that the region's sport, recreation and play infrastructure and assets meet future needs.

This is the third iteration of such a strategy and, as Sport Bay of Plenty Spaces and Places Team Leader Duncan Pearce explains, it can provide decision makers with a more holistic picture as to the needs of the play, active recreation and sport sector.

“The strategy will help ensure that the play, active recreation and sport sector as a whole is more informed as to the priority needs across the whole Bay of Plenty region,” says Duncan.

“Our vision is that the strategy will shape an innovative network of play, recreation and sport facilities that support active lifestyles and therefore the overall well-being of our community.”

One of the key aspects of the strategy is collaboration to ensure the needs of the whole community are met and all opportunities are explored.

“The Bay of Plenty is unique in its regional differences, and that's a really key thing when putting the Strategy together,” says Sport Bay of Plenty GM Strategic Partnerships, Larissa Cuff.

“Having all six, local councils contributing to it is key as the differences between Central Bay of Plenty, Eastern Bay of Plenty and Western Bay of Plenty are vast.

"The Strategy really captures these unique differences and enables us to cater for the diversity across the community.”

Sport Bay of Plenty’s position as a connection piece between each region and their respective Councils has been lauded as a key positive factor of the Strategy’s development.

“Working with Sport Bay of Plenty has helped us get an understanding of sporting trends and needs, in particular in Whakatāne to develop what we need in the right places and at the right time to support our communities,” explains Whakatāne District Council Urban Planning and Development Lead, Sarah Evans.

“Working alongside councils has helped us align in our understanding of the needs and wants of our different communities and how they all overlap together.

“What we provide in the Eastern Bay might not be needed elsewhere but what Western Bay can provide may negate the need for certain provision here – ensuring the whole region has equal opportunity for physical activity.”

Rotorua Lakes Council’s Kaihautu Rēhia Tū-ā-nuku | Recreation and Open Spaces Manager, Wiremu Tapara was involved in the development of the Strategy and explains how this collaboration was not only regional, but also cultural.

“Working across the beautiful Bay of Plenty has its challenges with the number of iwi and hapu,” explains Wiremu.

“But I think it also presents some really good opportunities and those are the ones we've explored to really develop a strategy that reflects a strong Māori lens.

“The strategy will present a stronger well-being outcome because it has a foundation and understanding of the importance of belonging, but also the history of spaces and places where we are active.”

The result of the Strategy will be improved spaces and places for the community to be physically active, no matter what their chosen pursuit, past time or activity – allowing for more lives to be transformed through physical activity.