Help shape the future of recreation, sport and play

Hutt City Council is reviewing how we invest in recreation, sport and play across our city — including sports fields, facilities, parks and community spaces.

To help guide future decisions, we’re hosting a series of community hui and inviting people involved in supporting active communities to come along for a kōrero.

These sessions are about testing the proposed direction with our communities, including those most directly affected before recommendations go back to Council.

Any formal decisions involving future fees or funding changes would still be consulted on publicly through the Long Term Plan 2027–37 process.

Community hui dates

Monday 18 May | 6pm–7:30pm
Pelorus Sports House, 93 Hutt Park Road, Lower Hutt

Monday 25 May | 6pm–7:30pm
Wainuiomata Neighbourhood Hub, 1 Queen Street, Wainuiomata

Thursday 28 May | 6pm–7:30pm
Walter Nash Centre, 2 Taine Street, Taitā

Each hui will include:

• introductory remarks from Mayor Ken Laban
• a short overview of the current challenges and proposed approach
• facilitated small-group discussions
• opportunities to share ideas, concerns and opportunities
• opportunities to raise questions or discussion points for follow-up

Discussion topics:

1. Current barriers, challenges and opportunities in sport, and, recreation and play
2. How Council and communities can work together in future on this kaupapa
3. Feedback on the proposed principles and charging approach.

Why are we reviewing this now?

Council’s current approach to prioritising and charging for sports fields has not been substantially reviewed since 1993. Since then, our city, communities, and the way people participate in recreation and sport have changed significantly.

We want to make sure future investment responds to changing community needs, supports wellbeing and enables more people to participate.

What we’re asking about 

Draft principles for future investment in recreation, sport and play

Council has developed a proposed set of principles to guide future investment decisions. These principles would shift the focus from primarily supporting organised sport codes, to enabling broader community participation and wellbeing outcomes.

The proposed principles focus on:

• affordable and accessible participation
• supporting health and social wellbeing outcomes
• partnering with community organisations and sporting codes
• encouraging shared use of facilities and spaces
• ensuring investment delivers value for ratepayers
• improving equity and inclusion across communities.

We want to know:

• Do these principles reflect the right priorities?
• What’s missing?
• What would help make this approach successful in practice?

For more information, you can read the report reviewing recreation, sport and play investment that was considered by the Communities, Culture and Partnerships Committee: Agenda (page 237 onwards)