Napier Pirates gets new home at Park Island

For years, Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports Club's biggest game days have meant splitting teams across Tamatea Park and Tremain Field, with families shuttling between venues and never quite sure where to watch their kids play.

That fragmented setup is due to end mid-2026, with construction now underway on the $2.4 million Northern Sports Hub at Park Island.

Napier City Council and Napier Pirate broke ground last week on the project, which will deliver three new championship rugby fields, modern clubrooms, changing facilities and an 80-space carpark in one integrated, purpose-built location. The new facilities are scheduled to be ready for play by mid-winter 2026.

Napier Pirate Chairman Graham Atkins says the club has outgrown its current facilities, putting increasing pressure on Tamatea Park.

"We've been making do with fragmented facilities across multiple sites, and 1970s volunteer-built clubrooms that were never designed for a club our size. The new home base at Park Island means we can finally ease the pressure on Tamatea while creating something the whole community can use."

"Having everything in one purpose-built facility means we can expand, welcome new members and make this an asset everyone can enjoy – not just Napier Pirate."

Napier Mayor Richard McGrath says Park Island is a place many locals already feel connected to.

“Park Island is where a lot of us have spent our weekends, watching the kids play, running the lines, catching up with other families. It’s a place people know and care about,” says Mayor McGrath.

“This project is about giving Napier Pirate a proper home, but it’s also about making Park Island work better for everyone. We’re getting well-designed fields the community can use, and we’re building them in a way that helps manage flooding for nearby homes. It’s a practical investment that will be enjoyed for years.”

The Northern Sports Hub will support Napier Pirate’s 500+ members while remaining available for public use outside club hours. Relocating the club permanently to Park Island frees capacity at heavily over-used Tamatea Park for greater school and community use, without requiring additional Council investment in those facilities.

The fields are being built to sports turf industry standards with specialist design, quality topsoil, and modern drainage and irrigation systems for long-lasting, low-maintenance performance.

The strategic ground level design provides flood storage for residential areas during heavy rain while delivering championship-standard facilities that can host regional and national tournaments.

The project delivers on Council's 2017 Park Island Masterplan commitment and has been eight years in the making.

Construction runs from November 2025 to March 2026 to minimise impact on winter sports and make the most of dry summer conditions. The work is happening at the same time as power line undergrounding that will unlock additional playing fields and improve visibility across Park Island. Dust mitigation measures are in place during the works including a water cart that uses bore water rather than the Napier town supply. Work will shut down for the festive season on Friday 19 December with sportsground staff undertaking any dust mitigation procedures using a travelling irrigator.

Council's Sportsground Operations Team will establish the turf in autumn 2026, with the first game planned for mid-winter 2026.