The Pakuranga United Rugby Club is today celebrating confirmation of a further $5,571,061 of funding from the Auckland Council for the Howick Pakuranga Community Sports Centre (HPCSC) facility development.

This adds to late last year’s confirmation of $2,423,939 now totalling $7,995,000 toward construction.

The HPCSC currently encompasses the Lloyd Elsmore grounds and facilities which are home to the Pakuranga United Rugby Club, Pakuranga United Netball Club, Pakuranga Touch Rugby module, Lloyd Elsmore Park Badminton Club, affiliate sports clubs Tamaki Lighting American Football Club and Howick Pakuranga Baseball Club and has recently become the new hospitality venue of the Howick RSA.

This funding is going towards adding additional space and indoor mixed-use courts to expand the centre’s ability to cater for more sports and community groups.

PURC Chairman and HPCSC spokesperson Robert Neil expressed gratitude for the Council’s confidence in the project.

“It’s relatively unprecedented to receive a grant of this amount and just goes to show that the Auckland Council understands our vision and potential to be a real community hub in East Auckland.

“We are excited that this expansion of the facility will allow us to host more of the community in a wider array of sports and other activities,” said Neil.

The funding comes from the Auckland Council by way of the Sport and Recreation Facilities Investment Fund. PURC submitted one of several applications for funding, which had to meet the Fund’s guidelines before being assessed on capability, achievability, project and funding status. It takes the Council’s total commitment towards the project to $8,287,000.

“Demand for indoor sports continues to rise, yet East Auckland has a significant shortage of courts, forcing many local athletes and teams to seek facilities outside the region. The centre’s expansion is designed to increase participation in sport, recreation and wellness activities, ensuring people of all ages have access to high-quality facilities” says Neil.

While the funding from Auckland Council is a critical step forward, Neil emphasised that the project is far from complete and still requires a further $4,000,000 of significant financial support from the community.

A fundraising campaign is set to be launched, inviting businesses, supporters and community members to contribute to help bring this vision to life.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring something special for East Auckland” Neil said.

“With your support, we can turn this vision into reality.”

To find out more about how you can contribute—whether through direct donations, sponsorship opportunities, or other forms of support—please contact PURC General Manager, Mike Bongiovanni, at gm@purc.co.nz or call 022 044 5726 to discuss how you can be part of this exciting community project.

Article added: Wednesday 12 February 2025