Infrastructure Strategy groups included are sports stadia, community halls, libraries, cemeteries and Recreational Facilities memorials. The assets included in Community Facilities are quite diverse in the nature of the The underlying story for sports and recreational facilities, parks and reserves is that the service they provide and spatial location around the region. Whilst they are subject to major influences of change over the next thirty years are not likely to have a shock impact that will require major capital investment. Change is likely to be gradual and at many of the key themes of the strategy the services provided are of a more least partially compensated by other contemporary changes. The other prevailing trend discretionary nature. Changes to the assets can be introduced incrementally. The is that while levels of service may alter with changing community demands and major capital investment projects associated with the core infrastructure such as operating environment but the overall standards are unlikely to decline. If this upgraded treatment plants, new pipelines and bridge replacement programmes can be projection is correct the operational and maintenance costs will be at least comparable replaced with smaller, phased upgrade projects. with current expenditure. The current demographic projections may suggest the growth in demand for sports The major sports stadia in Marlborough - Stadium 2000 and Blenheim swimming pool, facilities will peak relatively soon within the time frame of the thirty year strategy as the Renwick sports centre; Endeavour Pavilion, Picton and the Lansdowne Park sports population growth slows down and the age of the population increases. Although the hub have a combined insurance value of $48.4M. There are a further 23 sports and population is ageing people are remaining active for longer, the supply of sport and leisure facilities with total value of $23.4M. The major stadia are relatively new and recreational facilities will need adapt to meet the changes in demand. A further have a long life expectancy. The Outdoor Sports Facilities Plan aims to group similar consequence of the demographic projection is that as the proportion of elderly in the sports codes into sports hubs. The sharing of common facilities and synergies between community increase and a potential for growth in demand for cemetery services. codes will help to promote sports, save costs and future-proof the facilities to changes in community demand. A new pavilion at Blenheim’s A&P Park is being planned to Theaffordability of renewals may also be a challenge for some groups of assets, meet these criteria. particularly if there is a demand for an improvedlevel of service from the replacement. For example, the recent renewal of sports fields, swimming pools and Stadium 2000 is currently undergoing strengthening works to improve its resilience to sports halls has witnessed a significant upgrade on the assets they replaced. The new earthquake. It is important to note that the main aim of building strengthening is Picton Library and the one planned for Blenheim include a degree of upgrade to meet prevent catastrophic failure and to allow people to escape. It does not mean the an increased level of service demanded by customers. building will be serviceable after a large earthquake. The council has insurance to help manage the risk but the insurance excess can still be considerable. Demand for public services can also decline. It is possible that by the time the new generation of libraries require replacement, public reading rooms may have become a Community Halls thing of the past. Similarly it has been assumed that the various community halls will not be replaced when they reach the end of their useful life. Money has not been There are around 21 community halls located in many of the small regional settlements collected to fund their depreciation and renewal affordability could be a challenge. from D’Urville Island to Ward. Many of them are old and may become less significant as the focus for the community. Many are in rural locations that are predicted to have Climate change andresilience to natural hazards may also impact on some of the declining populations in the future. groups of community facilities. For example coastal tracks and beach-side reserves may be subject to increased storms, rising sea-level and the effects tsunami. There will However, many of the halls have an important role to play as the only public facility need to be some modifications to sports facilities to maintain them through more available to isolated communities. They may have limited use but they have strong severe weather events – drought resistant turf, irrigation and improved drainage. cultural and nostalgic linkages to the community. They are more valued for their Though these are likely to be resolved through incremental changes that can be heritage and future potential as much as their current practical utility. Six have been incorporated into operational management plans with lower financial impact. identified as Civil Defence Community Response Centres. 2018-2028 Long Term Plan Page 213