Around 1,200 submissions were made to the Council’s draft Community Plan 2009-19 on the Aquatic Centre and Indoor Stadium, with a further 720 signatures on two petitions presented by the Mid Canterbury School Principals Association and Mid Canterbury Netball, most seeking the project to go ahead and to be brought forward.

Council confirmed its funding for a new aquatic centre and indoor stadium and moved the funding forward following the consideration of submissions, meaning construction can start earlier if outside funding is found and other issues related to site and design are finalised.

Originally Council proposed a two stage construction project with the aquatic centre to be completed in 2015/ 16 and the indoor stadium to follow in 2017/ 18.

Council considered all submissions made and decided bringing the project forward was their preferred option. Council will now provide funding to enable the facility to be started in 2012 and completed by 2014 and to be built as consecutive projects.

With councillors remaining concerned about the affordability of rates the Council contribution to the project has been trimmed from $32 million to $25 million and the Council contribution made contingent on the community raising at least $5 million towards the facility before Council funding is available. This is likely to mean some changes to the design specifications of the facility and Council will work with the Ashburton Stadium Complex Trust to assess the best options.

Council also opted to change the funding source that will cover the costs of the loans required pay for the facility. Funding will now come entirely from a uniform annual charge on every property in the district regardless of the value of the property. This will see all properties paying around an extra $136 a year. The original proposal had 50% of funding from a uniform annual charge and 50% from general rates (levied according to the capital value of the property). Council agreed with submitters who argued that everyone should pay the same amount for the facility.