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Hundreds of young gymnasts are battling freezing conditions inside cramped industrial warehouses. The Star reporter Sam Henderson meets a local sports club aiming to build a better future for its young athletes.
The Dunedin Gymnastic Academy is hunting for a venue of up to 2000sqm so its athletes have enough room to grow.
It wants to leave behind two cramped industrial warehouses that cost the organisation about $130,000 a year to rent.
The academy operates from an Otaki St site and another building in Vogel St.
Neither of the warehouses were purpose-built for the sport.
Both have low ceilings and are notoriously difficult to heat.
Executive committee member Marion Maxwell said the cold conditions caused major problems for the athletes.
“It’s not good training when it’s freezing cold,” Mrs Maxwell said.
“It’s not good for your muscles and your body.”
The charitable trust aims to find a long-term base by buying its own building.
It previously explored building a custom facility.
The estimated $5 million price tag proved too high to manage without council support to secure vacant land.
Mrs Maxwell said buying an existing building would cost about $2m.
The academy holds an $800,000 deposit alongside a bank loan offer of $750,000.
It must raise the rest of the money to secure a suitable property.
“If we could find roughly an 1800sq m building we could make it fit for purpose,” Mrs Maxwell said.
To help hit the target, the group is launching a car raffle at the Meridian Mall on Friday, September 25.
An MG ZS worth more than $32,000 will be on display.
Gymnastic demonstrations will take place at 1pm on two Saturdays during the promotion.
People can buy raffle tickets at dunedingymnastics.co.nz.
Organisations wanting to sponsor the academy can email fundraising@dunedingymnastics.co.nz.
Centre manager and coaching director Ruth Kennedy works across both locations to support the 600 members.
At present the oldest participant is 17 and the youngest is not even 1.
“We have 6-month-olds.
“So we have babies in our preschool classes. They’ve just learnt to roll around,’’ Miss Kennedy said.
She said managing the split operation created significant administrative pressure.
“Just trying to keep track of everything.”
She must constantly check the separate sites for maintenance issues.
“All the details … equipment checks.
“Also having to look after, keep an eye on the two buildings, making sure the toilets don’t get broken.
“And just dealing with parents. I don’t get to have the face-to-face with the parents over there,” she said.
The gymnasts achieve remarkable success despite the difficult training environments.
Members Charlotte Bloxham and Saki Ishikawa currently train in the New Zealand gymnastics squad.
“So they train in the highest level.
“Just below international elite … one step just below that,” Miss Kennedy said.
She said the sport gave children unique physical abilities.
“They enjoy the challenge of it and the opportunity to just do things that pretty much nobody else could do.
“Probably five percent of the entire population of the world can do what some of these kids can do,” she said.
The sport fostered deep connections among the participants.
“They’ll be best friends for life.
“They’ll be going to each other’s weddings and bringing their kids up together,” Miss Kennedy said.
The charity thanked sponsors Cooke Howlison MG, gorse, Reid Cooper Gray and JB Hi-Fi Dunedin.
