Sport facility's expansion

FELICITY REID

A WORLD-CLASS sports training facility on the Shore has been given the go-ahead to grow its site.

Mairangi Bay's Millennium Institute of Sport and Health will undergo significant and large scale changes to keep up with domestic and international demand.

Proposed extensions to the Antares Place facility include medical chambers, research laboratories, a new pool, a community fitness centre and increased on-site accommodation.

A four-stage project will merge the high performance and community focus of the institute with the educational and research focus of AUT.

The two organisations formed the AUT Millennium Ownership Trust last year to develop "New Zealand's own international-standard centre of excellence".

The trust is investing in land as well as capital of $12 million into the expansions.

Professor John Cronin from AUT's Sport Performance Research Institute says the changes will see post-graduate students and some staff move from the Akoranga campus to the new research labs at MISH.

"We have done really well on meagre facilities and meagre equipment," Mr Cronin says.

"So for AUT to invest in ownership of New Zealand's premier sporting facility, and to build purpose-built labs and office space is really exciting times for us."

Mr Cronin says most of the university's post-graduate students are heavily involved in high-performance sports programmes at the institute.

"It is one of the few places in the world to have such a model where students are integrated. It is a unique model and we really benefit from the exposure," he says.

"Students are working with athletes, improving communication and increasing their networks."

Current plans show a 15-metre by 20-metre pool will be built to cater for learn to swim classes and flippa ball, which is a modified version of water polo for children.

But the institute's chief executive Mike Stanley says an international standard 50-metre pool to meet the needs of the community and high performance athletes is within their sights.

The 30-room lodge accommodation, used by visiting athletes who are training at the institute, is to increase to 41 bedrooms.

Teams and individuals wanting longer stays and self-catering options will benefit from the upgrade, Mr Stanley says.

The New Zealand under-20 rugby team will use the lodge later this month, and previously the Indian rugby team, the Tall Blacks, the Manly Sea Eagles and secondary school water polo sides have been guests.

The New Zealand Academy of Sport's North Island office has been based at the institute since 2006 and chief executive Pete Pfitzinger says their office and gym space has now reached capacity.

The academy provides high performance athletes, including shot put champion Valerie Vili, with support services.

A number of the academy staff are linked to AUT, helping with assessment and research related to elite athlete performance.

Mr Pfitzinger sees the increased presence of the university and having a range of athlete services all under one roof as a positive step.

The existing $32 million multi-sport complex was completed in February 2002 and is home to the North Shore swimming club, Bays Cougars athletics, NorthSport Olympic weightlifting and North Harbour water polo.

- © Fairfax NZ News