Retaining Tauranga's Racecourse Reserve as greenspace is a key concern for users, residents and mana whenua.

Tauranga City Council is looking at future options for the 85 hectares of crown reserve land the Tauranga racecourse and Tauranga Golf Club occupy.

The Greerton Maarawaewae study began in October 2021 and the council consulted on multiple options for the site before shortlisting three.

Option A includes a health precinct, sports fields and the golf course - this is the council's preferred option.
Option B is a large central park with sports fields, community spaces and connection to Kopurererua Valley, the golf course would remain but the racecourse and equestrian facilities would be relocated.
Option C is an enhanced status quo with the current users remaining but sports fields and connection to Kopurererua Valley added.

The council held public hearings on Monday and Tuesday after its final round of consultation last year.

At Monday's hearing, submitter Patricia Jones from the Tauranga Western Riding Club described the reserve as the 'jewel in the crown for Tauranga”.

She 'treasured” being able to ride at the facilities in Greerton.

As Tauranga became more built up the greenspace wasn't something that should be let go, she said.

Jones urged the commissioners to select Option C because once the 'fabulous greenspace is gone, it's gone.”

Ngāi Tamarāwaho representative Buddy Mikaere. File photo/SunLive.

Mana whenua, Ngāi Tamarāwaho representative Buddy Mikaere provided history of the site.

The land was confiscated from Ngāi Tamarāwaho after the Battle of Gate Pa and Te Ranga in 1864 and because it was used for the community the hapū did not seek return of the land in their treaty settlement, said Mikaere.

'If that land is now to be used for other purposes, such as housing and the new hospital site, then we want our interests to be prioritised,” he said.

Ngāi Tamarāwaho lodged a claim via the Treaty of Waitangi Act in February last year.

Mikaere said any change to the status of the land would trigger the treaty claim.

'We seek the return of the land if that is the case and we will contest any other decision vigorously.

'We are content for the land to remain a recreation reserve with the possibility of extending its uses.”

Mikaere is also on the Tauranga Racing Club board and acknowledged he could be viewed as having a conflict of interest.

'In this case, I want to make it clear that my first loyalty is to the hapū and my submission is made on their behalf.”

It was fortunate both the hapū and Racing Tauranga's interests appeared to largely coincide, he said.

After Mikaere's submission, commission chair Anne Tolley said he was 'conflicted” and that made it 'very difficult”.

Having another representative from Ngāi Tamarāwaho would be easier, she said.

Commission chair Anne Tolley. Photo: John Borren/SunLive.

Tolley reassured Mikaere that housing, which had been proposed earlier, was ruled out as an option.

Also in support of retaining the racecourse was Bay of Plenty Regional Councillor Andrew von Dadelszen.

He said Tauranga had 'bigger fish to fry” in terms of infrastructure in Tauranga, than relocating a racecourse.

'To shift it [the racecourse] and that lose greenspace for anything would be a crime in my view.”

von Dadelszen urged the commissioners to think about their greenspace and listen to their community.

'Just think carefully about judicial review risks because I sense some predetermination and being a hearing commissioner myself, I'm really careful on that in my council dealings.”

Tolley responded: 'I'm a bit concerned to hear you mention judicial review and predetermination.”

The council had been through a long process of consultation with a 'huge range of options”, she said.

'We've tried to be extremely open. We [the commissioners] have no pre-determination.”

Tauranga Golf Club chairman Paul Gartner said the club supported all three options because each one included the golf club, but the hospital was its least favoured option.

The club wanted to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the council in lieu of a lease renewal past its current one that ends in 2039.

'We would like some form of official documentation to know that we have got security of tenure,” said Gartner.

The club was experiencing members leaving, was 'struggling” with staff motivation and had delayed projects on the course because of uncertainty around the future, he said.

Tolley thanked the club for working with the council during the process and for their willingness to develop some of the walkways.

During formal consultation a total 897 submissions were received with 201 in support of Option A, 128 were in favour of Option B and the majority supported Option C with 548 people selecting it.

The hearings continued on Tuesday and the commissioners will decide on an option to recommend to the government on May 1.

Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air