My aspirations might be to increase sport, active recreation, and play in our local area by promoting activity through school, family, and community involvement. We are a basketball family and miss being able to play together, in a team of mixed gender and mixed ages. Touch rugby sport might need some more leagues for mixed teams also. I think awards for best coach and management teams could be a way to incentivize parental involvement.

We have some great public facilities in Whakatane District, mainly centred in Whakatane Urban where our rural sportspeople often have to travel.

Some of the current facilities may not meet seismic/earthquake code or are in need of a major upgrade. I’d like us to do a sports code field and amenity utilisation analysis across the district with the view of potentially developing a “sports precinct” either in Awakeri or Edgecumbe. By developing a purpose-built stadium with enhanced sports facilities, ancillary services eg. café and carparking, it could deliver better sporting outcomes, better value and improved socialisation between the different sports codes and community groups.

I’d be keen to investigate what the costs might be and how we could afford a new ‘sports precinct’ going forward. We already have $10 million in the Long-Term Plan to develop the War Memorial Hall and sports fields and swimming pool facilities, so now is a good time to evaluate the future growth of sports and outdoor activity facilities.

I am super-aware of the need for keeping active and engaging in sport and play, both for improved physical health and mental health outcomes. We are fortunate in the Whakatane District to have some wonderful amenities such as the Aquatic Centre, Rex Morpeth Park, the newly revamped Whakatane Skate Park, tennis courts, netball courts, local adventure race companies and more.

What we are sorely missing is good trails for cycling and mountain biking that are accessible to Whakatane Township. Onepu MTB park has been a huge success, but may be closed to public access by October. I’m a Bike Whakatane Trustee, and chair of the MTB working party at Council, both of which have been working actively to locate land and enable trail development close to town. I would like to see some good outcomes in this space in the next 12 months, as MTB is a huge growth sport, and trails for cycle tourism and commuter cycling are becoming a must-have for any community.

This is a topic very close to my heart and so a great pleasure for me to comment on. Physical activity is vital for health and wellbeing and is a top priority for me. I practice what I preach. Everyday I either swim, run, bike, walk or practice yoga. My family are surfers.

I shall promote safe cycling and walking. We need to connect infrastructure with safe pathways. Biking and walking needs to be part of our day. We need to be able to bike to school, travel from Ohope to Whakatane (safely) etc. We need a mountain bike park. These are my ideas.
I would love to hear from you about your ideas for increasing active recreation and play. We live in the most beautiful place. How can we enjoy this even more whilst catering for our diverse community.

Sport is extremely important for all members of our community, it is good for their physical health, mental health and general wellbeing, it has also a positive effect on the watches and viewers. In many cases it is something to look forward to. It is particularly important for children, it teaches them to aspire to achieve something, to win and to lose with grace.

We are inclined to think of our main sports that are high profile but there are many, many more that the participants hold just as dearly. Councils can be the enablers helping clubs with options and directions for facilities, fund raising and assisting with financial contributions. Also the utilization of facilities are important many are under used particularly halls and open grounds. It is a complex issue but with good contact and will to succeed, a great improvement can be achieved for the benefit of all.

Kia ora,

I practice Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) at Whakatāne MMA. I have practiced BJJ for the last six years and enjoy the fitness, including good friends. I also support boxing and have done for 25 years as an amateur and professional coach.

We definitely need more fitness program care. There are a number of facilities running in and around the Rangitaiki providing good services. The schools, parks, halls, fields, footpaths, tracks, clubs and gyms are established groups that may require the following:

• Council access and support
• Mental well being assistance
• Funding, training and on going development

Ngā mihi ki te kaupapa no Rangitaiki

Heemi Brown
Te Teko Residents Association Volunteer - (Advocate for bus shelters for children and adults)

As a professional Environmental Planner, I actively push for adequate provision of recreation spaces for public and private users. Inclusion of adequate spaces when new developments occur provides for long term economic, community and social growth, and is important due to the longevity of infrastructure.

I’ve played hockey as goalkeeper since primary school, so know the importance of sport and recreation to communities, and the need to cater to this as part of the planning process within Council.

“Our Tamariki Are Our Future”

My aspirations for sport & play is for Eastern Bay & wider communities to present & expose our tamariki to as many experiences that will open them future opportunities within their chosen sport.

I would also like to see a high performance sport academy in the near future to allpw our local tamariki remain in this area & to watch more tamariki grow & thrive on their sport with the guidance & tools to balance, kura & training. So we dont lose our tamariki to kura outside our region that provide this.

Nga Mihi, Dee-Danya Hale-Riddiford