Consultation open

Awatea Athletics were formed in 2024, and Te Kāhu Park is their home ground. They currently mow a 400m track and 60m track in summer and have a discus and shotput circle. Their current membership is around 340 children athletes on Monday Club nights.

They have applied to install storage containers and new athletics facilities on Te Kāhu Park.

The facilities they have proposed include:

  • Two 20ft storage containers to hold equipment
  • A small long jump pit on The Runway side of Te Kāhu Park for junior athletes
  • Three new throwing circles for shot put and discus with throwing fences
  • All-weather surface including high jump, a new long jump and long jump run-up for the existing pit.

They are proposing to increase their usage of the park in the future, including Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights.

Their application has support from Athletics Canterbury, as well as Halswell United Football Club, who they share the park with.

  • Growth: The club have experienced rapid growth since they were formed. They currently use Ngā Puna Wai for their senior athletes, but would like to have all their athletes in one place, and reduce the amount they are spending on a second venue.
  • Storage challenges: The existing building is a changing room shared with Halswell United Football Club. The club have had challenges with storing their equipment in the space in an accessible manner, and believe a purpose-built storage building is necessary. Currently:
    • They are not able to store full-sized high jump mats on-site due to the size of the existing building. A purpose-built storage building would allow them to store additional high jump mats and hurdles for their senior athletes.
    • Some of their equipment has sustained damage from being pushed through the existing building doorways.
    • They move all equipment out of the existing building at the end of summer to allow the football club access for winter.

The club intend to undergo the build in two stages, with:

  • stage one commencing immediately if approval is granted, with a focus on immediate needs including the storage containers, throwing circles and fences and junior long jump pit
  • stage two commencing for the 26/27 season, if funding can be secured. This includes the formation of the senior all-purpose long jump pits and all weather surface for high jump.

Plans for the new lease

Tell us what you think