A one-stop shop for sport in the Bay of Plenty is one step closer to reality as fundraising for the Bay of Plenty Movement HQ gets under way.

The project, led by local sports club Te Puke Gymsport, has been around 10 years in the making.

Gymsport general manager Erin McKenna says the club has long outgrown its current premises on Station Rd and is collaborating with other sports clubs to get a purpose-built facility off the ground.

“It’s really exciting and something we’ve been working on for a long time,” says Erin.

“We’ve got the land and the consent - it will be built at Centennial Park [in Te Puke] - now we got to get the money for the building.”

The project is estimated to cost $7 million but the sports clubs has already secured $3m from funding partners and are now looking to fundraise the remaining $4m.

“It’s a big job. It will be a large building and host at least six different sporting codes,” says Erin.

Te Puke Gymsport, founded in 1954 as a gymnastics club, now offers gymnastics, parkour, trampoline and tumble classes.

At over 2000sq m, the new facility will also be able to cater for classes in dance, fitness, yoga, pilates, martial arts, CrossFit, as well as provide a space for the Graeme Dingle Foundation, youth development, art, gym, music, and Boutique Physiotherapy.

The Movement HQ will also be the permanent home of Te Puke Gymsport, Te Puke Dance Studios & Te Puke Hip Hop Academy, Bekki Monger Fitness and Wellness and Te Puke Junior Football.

The Bay of Plenty Movement HQ will be located at Te Puke's Centennial Park. Image / Cube Architecture.

Erin says the new facility will be the first of its kind in the region and bring over 1500 club members and other users to Te Puke per week.

There will be programmes for families, children, youth and the elderly, with an overall focus on inclusivity, affordability and community engagement.

The new facility will also open up opportunities for competitive athletes.

Erin says Te Puke Gymsport already offers competitive gymnastics classes, however, their “top gymnasts” currently had to travel to Auckland for training.

“[With the new facility] we will also be able to host national and regional events.”

The Bay of Plenty Movement HQ will also provide an alternative meeting place for businesses to host clients, or to run team-building exercises or fun activities.

“To be able to build something that’s able to cater for this wide range of activities will be amazing,” Erin said.

Te Puke Gymsports started out in 1954 in McDowell’s Hall on Te Puke’s Main St, but a fire forced the club into the town’s Memorial Hall until Te Puke High School built its gymnasium.

In 2008, the club moved into its current 700sq m building on Station Rd.

The Bay of Plenty Movement HQ will be a 2000sq m facility that would be located on Atuaroa Ave. It is industrial-zoned land since the building’s ceiling needs to be 13m high to be able to host trampoline competitions.

More information and details for donations are available online at bopmovementhq.co.nz.

-Te Puke Times.