The high profile athletics and gym sports facility on the eastern side of Kensington Park has received a big boost with the announcement of a new naming rights sponsor in local company Trigg Construction.

The facility, now known as TRIGG Sports Arena, includes amenities for both athletics and gymnastics, including a 500 seat grandstand overlooking the finish line of the artificial athletics track, a multi-purpose lounge facility, a photo-finish and announcement room, storage below the grandstand and a results /administration office. The gym sports part of the facility includes a purpose-built 1700 square metre gymnastics stadium, spectator seating overlooking the gymnastics floor, toilets and a gymnastics administration office.

TRIGG owner and director Darrell Trigg is delighted to be involved in supporting the operation of the sports arena, especially given his company was the main contractor in the construction of the facility, which was completed back in 2012.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be involved with this world-class community sports facility – we really enjoyed the challenge of constructing the facility and we are extremely proud of the completed product – and to now be supporting the facility through sponsorship is a special feeling for us all” says Mr Trigg.

NAGST Chairman James Nair says that the board is delighted to have a new naming rights sponsor on-board to support the operation of the facility. “Sponsorship is a key income stream for us in meeting the costs associated with operating and maintaining the building, so to have TRIGG fill the naming rights role is fantastic – the fact that they are a local company who support their community and that they were the main contractors in constructing the facility certainly makes this announcement even better from our point of view”.

Local sports clubs Athletics Whangarei and Whangarei Academy of Gymnastics are the two key tenants of the facility, with both organisations firmly of the view that being based in the TRIGG Sports Arena has enabled them to increase membership of their respective clubs as well as participation in the activities and programmes they operate.

The facility is considered unique in NZ, as it is the first time that the athletics and gym sports have combined operations under one purpose-built facility. Both sports are what are termed ‘foundation sports’, meaning that all children should be educated in skills of each sport, as this forms the basis of most movement involved in other sports.

Between the operations of the two clubs involved, over 100,000 people pass through the facility every year, ensuring it is one of the most used and highest profile sports facilities in the city.