Town centre for Rototuna?
There are renewed calls for a Rototuna town centre as Hamilton’s northeast population increases, reports the Waikato Times.
Hamilton City Council has secured 17 hectares of land for community facilities around the town centre – including a library, community and aquatic centre and sports fields, the paper said.
Building a Rototuna library and aquatic centre is expected to cost about $38.5 million, with both projects unfunded in the council’s 10-year plan.
Woodridge resident Heather Connolly said a lack of public facilities in the area was frustrating, with families travelling across the city for swimming lessons.
“The bus service here is shocking, there’s a lack of playgrounds… and you have people who have to traipse back to Chartwell for the library,” Connolly said.
“For me it’s disappointing that it has taken so long to get something like an aquatic centre despite our population size. If the council don’t put in the aquatic centre by the time the high school opens [in 2016] then it will be a massive disservice to all the kids that are going in that direction.”
City councillor Dave Macpherson said the city’s northeast residents were not well served with amenities and services.
However the Government’s commitment to build two new schools gave the council a chance to explore partnerships with the Education Ministry to provide residents with a library and pool, he said.
