The meeting took place on the 10th of May 2021 and the feedback from attendees was positive.

While it is still early days it is encouraging to read the part of the meeting agenda (below) concerned with the Grandstand restoration:

Grandstand upgrade project

4.10 The project to upgrade the grandstand has now been established and a project manager, from Council’s Engineering Services Department has been appointed to lead the project. A project brief has been agreed and he has been working through all the background material and has met with the consultants who prepared the grandstand strengthening design features report as part of preparation of a project plan. The project scope also includes completion of the car parking and other works necessary to achieve a code compliance certificate for the Recreation Centre, noting that there is a separate budget for this work.

4.11 One of the first tasks is to understand whether upgrading the grandstand for public use before the next Golden Bay A&P Show in January 2022 is realistic. The Council has a budget for the grandstand upgrade in the Long Term Plan 2021-2031 draft budgets. This funding includes $100,000 in the 2021/22 year for design, consents, etc. and $800,000 in the 2022/23 year for construction. If it is realistic to upgrade the grandstand for the 2022 Show, staff will seek a decision from Council to bring forward the $800,000 funding from the 2022/23 to the 2021/22 financial year. If it is not realistic staff will make recommendations on what might be achieved in that timeframe. This work will also look at the timing for removal of the squash courts, rear lean to and rugby clubroom extension.

4.12 The Council funding for the restoration of the grandstand was to meet the estimated cost of reinstatement of the grandstand to public use in accordance with the Engineer Report dated February 2020. The report did not include any provision for increases in building costs or some other items in the report. The decision report to the Council in March 2020 also requested that staff invite proposals for the community to work with the Council to raise funds and otherwise contribute to the reinstatement of the grandstand. Staff seek guidance from the Committee on how this is best progressed and the timing of this fundraising work.

There have been some concerns expressed by community members about the council's expectations that the community will raise funds to assist in the 'upgrade project' particularly when it is calculated that almost half of the current cost is due to damage that TDC failed to prevent and in some cases, caused. Many people still remember that until the stairs were removed in 2016 the grandstand was in a structurally sound working order.

But of course the community will help, it is what people do in Golden Bay, but the council needs to bear in mind that the Trust at least, has still debts incurred by their efforts to get to this stage. And please, the community will be less inclined to raise money for needless frills and fancy fittings when all they have wanted all along is a grandstand from which they can watch all events at the showgrounds high up and sheltered from the elements.

But it is really nice to come out of a meeting feeling positive about the future and it is on that note this update will finish.

More updates will be sent out as work commences, hopefully in the not-too-distant future.

Thank you as always for your ongoing support. It really makes a difference.

Photo: View from the Grandstand back in 2016