Wānaka gym club prepares for new home in fitted out Mitre 10 building
The conversion of the former Mitre 10 building in Wānaka into a space for youth and sports is well underway, with the first club set to move in in the coming weeks.
The gymnastics club Aspiring Gymsports is scheduled to take over its new space in the transformed commercial building from June 30, with a small opening ceremony and blessing planned for July 3, according to a construction update prepared for members of the Wānaka-Upper Clutha Community Board this week.
"Naylor Love has been progressing well with framing on site forming the majority of works completed through the last period," the report says.
"The framing in the Kahu Youth space is largely complete with insulation and wall‐linings currently being installed. Additionally, the framing to the toilet blocks and meeting rooms are well underway."
The club is working to a deadline, as it has to vacate its current premises before then.
However, it has the potential to be a chilly beginning, with board members told by council's project lead last month only meeting rooms will have the option to be heated for now. While an electricity supply to future proof options is being put in place in the building, there is no heating available as yet in the gymnastics area.
In addition to the gymnastics club and Kahu Youth, dance, yoga and fitness classes will make use of indoor courts and studio and meeting spaces.
On Friday, members of the community board as well as council staff members visited the site for a walkthrough.
Other work still flagged as essential prior to the gymnastics club taking over is the installation of a large curtain designed to divide the club's space off from the remainder of the build.
At its meeting this week, the local community board is being asked to approve a name for the new facility: Aspiring Youth and Sports Centre.
The council's branding policy requires a te reo Māori translation in addition to the English name. However, a te reo translation is not yet decided on.
The project is expected to be fully completed by September.
Demand for recreational space in the town is peaking, with the Wānaka Recreation Centre reporting its yoga classes are full and staff are having to turn people away and court bookings exceed potential supply.
"The new sport and community centre will hopefully alleviate that," it says in its report to the community board.
QLDC appointed Naylor Love as lead contractor for the fit out of the Plantation Road property. In March, it announced the total budget was approximately $4.2 million. An increase of $90,000 from the initial budget approved by councillors in April last year had been required due to additional fire protection measures.
Main image (QLDC/Meeting agenda): Ready or not - Wānaka gymnastics club Aspiring Gymsports has a deadline on needing a new home and will move into the new council facility while construction continues around them.
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