February 16 2021
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Racecourse revitalisation u by Andy Bryenton
Dargaville’s racecourse will become a new retirement living, residential housing and commercial retail development under plans which are now in progress. This follows a pre-election grant of $900,000 from the Provincial Growth Fund to boost the project.
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“This grant has the potential to benefit this community in two ways; first facilitate much-needed housing and retirement requirements, and second puts us on the road to establishing a fund through the Northland Community Fund, which will benefit community groups in this area, every year, forever,” says Dargaville Racing Club (DRC) member Richard Alspach. Members of the DRC feared the loss of their premises early in 2020 thanks to proposed new legislation, and the closing of the track for horse racing purposes. In circumventing this issue, an alliance between the racing club, the Dargaville Community Development Board and Ngati Whatua iwi was formed to utilise the land, donated to the betterment of Dargaville more than a century ago. The purpose they settled upon was one which could alleviate housing shortages, create jobs, promote education in the building sector and allow older residents to remain within the community. A presentation has been made to some council members and senior staff to share this vision. “We were honoured to be asked by the racing club and DCDB to work with them to provide secure and affordable housing for the people of Dargaville,” says Tracy Walters, Commercial Operations Manager of Te Runanga O Ngati Whatua. “We’re involved in this project not just to revitalise and re-energise Dargaville and the western Kaipara, but also to
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p Dargaville Racing Club president Tim Antonio and fellow club member Richard Alspach oversee the signing of documentation which begins the transition of the racecourse to a retirement and housing development driven by the community
say to people young and old ‘you don’t have to leave. You can stay here in your community’; looking after all the people in our rohe.” This is in terms of both elder care housing, keeping senior citizens near their whanau and friends, and also at the other end of the age spectrum, as the project to transform the racecourse site will provide jobs, training opportunities and apprenticeships in the construction trade. Greater population stability will also lead to a more vibrant local economy, agrees Mr Walters.
The 117-acre site will eventually house 120 retirement home units, with a planned 150 residential sections nearby. Plans for the site incorporate green space and even a retail precinct with convenient stores for what will become a large new part of Dargaville, potentially the biggest development of the town since Joseph Dargaville himself founded the municipality in the 1800s. The development will be phased, with a multi-stage plan enacted during a longterm timescale, but construction should break ground on stage one before the end of 2021. ¢
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