Activity Zone makes amazing strides

 

The recent generous $500,000 grant from the Northland Regional Council will bring about the completion of the beginners area and the back of the flow bowls at the skating centre of the Mangawhai Activity Zone. But while lobbying for funds still continues, the end is in sight says MAZ chairman Colin Gallagher referring to the Street Plaza being the final project to complete the multi-million dollar complex. 

“Tidied up with some landscaping will make the arena the equal of any similar complex in the country,” he says, a sentiment endorsed by designer Richard Smith. 

Professional skaters are using the facility in increasing numbers. The Annual Bowl Jam confirms this and with the inclusion of kkateboarding as an Olympic sport from next year there is a distinct possibility that some of our own local skaters could follow that path.

Good things take time and this has been a decade in the making but is, without doubt, a major community amenity with activities for all ages and abilities. Estimations from several surveys indicate over 130,000 visitors to the park per annum. This is calculated on a per car basis and does not include walk-ups. As well as the ‘play’ areas and courts, the park includes 12km of walking tracks and 4.2km of mountain bike tracks with a pump track also in future plans.

“Monetary input has been in excess of $2.2 million thus far,” Gallagher points out. “But add to this a documented 19,000 man hours by committee members and it’s not hard to see that the community has really taken on board the development of the complex.”

This is not counting working bees or volunteer hours plus many donations of materials and labour by numerous contractors and without any levy on ratepayers. A true example of a good community working for the good of the community.