Ngāti Ōtara Multi-Sports and Cultural Centre

“For them to see a brand-new building, it’s going to be a beacon for this area.”

The Ngāti Ōtara Multi-Sports and Cultural Centre is connected to Ōtara town centre, the Manukau Institute of Technology and the residential end of Ōtara Rd – making it an ideal community hub. The Park went through a major upgrade with ACH Consulting involvement. The development was set to revitalise the Ōtara cultural and sports community.

The Ngāti Ōtara Park alongside the sport facilities now includes a new clubroom, kitchen, and in house café/bar, changing rooms, and a laundromat for both sports kit and wider community use. There’s also a first-aid centre that provides health services to the community, and Pacific Homecare that holds its Fia Ola programmes for older residents at the complex.

ACH Consulting provided structural and civil design, detailing and drawings, and construction observation and certification, for the new multisport park and cultural centre with a combined budget of approximately $10m. Development of a complex such as this required significant coordination and liaison with a large multi-disciplinary design team including, architects, mechanical engineers, geotechnical engineers, fire engineers, landscape designers, mana whenua, Auckland Transport, Watercare, Auckland Council and local boards and communities.

The Ngāti Ōtara Multi-sport Centre opened to the public on 8 May 2021.

Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board Chair, Apulu Reece Autagavaia spoke at the opening, explaining; “I grew up playing on these fields. Our village would play kilikiti here every summer. I remember, as a kid, it was my job to fetch stray kilikiti balls that made their way on the deteriorating roof... The previous building was dark, old and no longer fit for purpose. It feels incredible to be able to provide a beautiful, brand new building to the community we can all enjoy and be proud of.

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff officially opened the facility, stating "This investment by Auckland Council recognises that Ōtara deserves a decent 21st-century sports facility that encourages our young people into sport and inspires them to realise their potential,”

This facility will contribute strongly to the sports scene and wider community. Rugby league, netball, tag, kilikiti and rugby make use of the large fields, in total over 100 teams use the clubrooms and sports fields. Ōtara Scorpions Rugby League Club chairman Willie Maea says “For them to see a brand-new building, it’s going to be a beacon for this area.”