✅ Phase one completed: 2025/26
⏺️ Phase two: Underway March 2026
A state-of-the-art sports and recreation hub is taking shape at Victoria Domain, with Trust Tairāwhiti committing its largest-ever investment of up to $6.9m towards phase one of the project.
As part of the Tairāwhiti Community Facilities ‘early win’ initiatives, this redevelopment addresses the aging infrastructure identified in the 2018 Regional Community Facilities strategy.
A major solar energy initiative is underway to build the resilience of 21 marae across Tairāwhiti, ensuring they can continue serving their communities during extreme weather events.
Funded primarily by an $856,979 grant from the Cyclone Gabrielle Appeal Trust (CGAT), the project is being led by Trust Tairāwhiti, which has also provided a further $15,000 per marae and secured support from other funders.
Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union has received more than $1.24m in funding for key upgrades at Rugby Park.
This includes $74k for new security fencing to improve safety, and $1.17m toward completing the grandstand rebuild. The finished facility will support local sport, major events and the wider community, with potential future use as a Civil Defence site.
✅ Completed: 2025/26
Te Wharewaka o Mareikura is a purpose-built home for the waka of Mareikura Waka Ama Club at Anzac Park, providing a safe, secure and resilient space for paddlers and whānau to gather.
Trust Tairāwhiti contributed $1.3m towards the facility, supporting the club’s long-held vision for a permanent home as it marked 40 years of waka ama in the Tairāwhiti region.
✅ Completed: 2024/25
Four schools along the East Coast have been equipped with solar panels, battery storage, and pool heating systems as part of a $3.5m school pool heating and resilience project funded by the Trust.
The project included Te Waha o Rerekohu Area School in Te Araroa, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o te Waiu o Ngāti Porou in Ruatōria, Hatea-a-Rangi in Tokomaru Bay and Tolaga Bay Area School.
✅ Completed: 2022/23
The Trust contributed $120k towards the Surf for Life East Coast project, a Gisborne Boardriders Club East Coast surfing initiative. Enabling the installation of containers at Tokomaru Bay, Waipiro Bay and Wharekahika with equipment to provide surfing programmes for those communities.
The containers are filled with surfboards and wetsuits so people of all ages, from toddlers to pakeke, can get involved and enjoy surfing.
✅ Completed: 2021/22
Trust Tairāwhiti contributed over $2.88m towards the Skate Park and Pump Track, two 'early win' projects in the Tairāwhiti Sports Facilities Business Case.
Tairāwhiti Adventure Trust fundraised and project managed both facilities.
We worked in partnership with Gisborne District Council and Sport Gisborne Tairāwhiti to support the development of the Tairāwhiti Sports Facilities Business Case, which determined the high priority needs in our community, described as ‘early wins’.
Sports Facilities Business Case
Mareikura Waka Ama Club officially opened their new waka storage facility, with paddlers, club members, supporters and whānau gathered to welcome the long-awaited milestone.
The day began at 5am…
Mareikura Waka Ama Club members, past and present, will gather on Saturday 6 December to celebrate the opening of the club’s new waka storage facility at Anzac Park.
A dawn karakia will be held at…
Contractors have made strong progress over the past month on the final upgrades for stage one of the Victoria Domain project.
Over the recent school holidays, courts eight and nine were completed…
Our community's ideas and aspirations will help shape the future direction of our city through the City Centre Catalyst Initiatives Project. Stage one of the project was led and funded by Trust…
Four schools along the East Coast have been equipped with solar panels, battery storage, and pool heating systems as part of a $3.5m school pool heating and resilience project funded by the Trust…
A crowd of keen netball players gathered at the gates of the newly upgraded Victoria Domain site on Saturday, 19 July, when Taharakau Stewart, representing Rongowhakaata, blessed the new and improved…
Trust Tairāwhiti has approved just over $1.17 million in funding to Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union (PBRFU) towards the completion of the Rugby Park grandstand rebuild.
The rebuild will deliver a…
Anzac Park will be a hive of activity in March when construction is set to commence on Mareikura Waka Ama Club’s new waka storage facility, bringing the long-awaited project to life in the club’s…
Trust Tairāwhiti has approved up to $6.9 million to fund phase one of the Victoria Sports and Recreation Hub in Gisborne, marking the largest single investment ever made by the Trust.
The funding…
Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union (PBRFU) will receive $73,706 in funding from Trust Tairāwhiti to install security fences at Gisborne’s Rugby Park. This funding will go towards the first stage of…
Trust Tairāwhiti has approved $3.5 million in funding for a significant project that combines pool heating and renewable solar energy generation alongside battery storage at four schools on the East…
The Gisborne Boardriders Club (GBC) East Coast surfing initiative is not just about catching waves but connecting whānau to the taiao and the moana through the shared experience of surfing. Last year…
Last year the Trust announced it would fund up to $15m in principle towards ‘early win’ sports facility projects in Tairawhiti over the next five to 10 years. The investment will support a range of…
Trust Tairāwhiti will fund up to $15 million towards "early win" sports facility projects, including waka storage facilities at Anzac and Marina Parks and the skatepark redevelopment.
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