At the heart of Ruatōria sits Whakarua Park, a sporting ground rich in history, culture and community. Now, a major upgrade of the park’s grandstand is set to help preserve one of the most significant sporting and community landmarks for Ngāti Porou.
Last year, Trust Tairāwhiti approved just over $2.7m towards the project after the Whakarua Park grandstand was identified as one of several aging community assets in the Regional Community Facilities programme.
The existing grandstand has reached the end of its life and will be demolished and replaced.
“The grandstand, as it is now, is an earthquake-prone building, so it requires upgrades to make it fit-for-purpose. In doing so, we must meet Heartland Championship facility standards set by the New Zealand Rugby Union,” says Whakarua Park Board trustee and past chairman, David Goldsmith.
“At the same time, we have to respect and enhance the cultural context of Whakarua Park. The new grandstand has to fit within the cultural identity of this place.”
Whakarua Park Board was formally established in 1928 under the Native Land Act 1909 and is approaching its 100-year anniversary.
The park sits alongside Uepohatu wharenui, opened in 1947 as a memorial to Ngāti Porou soldiers who served overseas. The wider Whakarua Park grounds are also regarded as part of the marae ātea for Uepohatu.
Known as the spiritual home of Ngāti Porou East Coast Rugby, Whakarua Park has hosted generations of sporting, cultural and community events, including rugby, tennis, horse sports, A&P shows, weddings, community celebrations and the annual Pā Wars event.
“It also operates as a civil defence emergency hub, with containers adjacent to the park integral to civil defence response efforts for Ngāti Porou. A helipad has recently been installed on the field, reinforcing the park’s importance for community resilience on the coast,” says Whakarua Park Board chairman, Tā Selwyn Parata.
“The grandstand is just one part of this wider complex. It is not only about rugby. This park has always been used for a huge variety of activities.”
The redevelopment is expected to include improved lighting, safety and accessibility upgrades, new ablution facilities, media tower upgrades and multi-purpose spaces to better support sporting and community events.
Final design work is now underway, with construction expected to begin later this year.
“If you are Ngāti Porou, you belong to Whakarua Park. If you are Ngāti Porou, Whakarua Park is part of you. When you come here, you are home,” says David.