Owen Delany Park upgrade

Project overview

Taupō District’s biggest sports venue just got even better, with the official opening of a brand-new community sports hub at Owen Delany Park.

Since it opened in 1985 the park has hosted generations of Taupō locals and visitors taking part in events large and small and a wide variety of sports. Now, thanks to $5.3 million in external funding, we have a new sports hub built to support the growing demand for sport across the district, especially women’s sports codes.

With 14 sporting codes now based at Owen Delany Park, this new facility will provide a valuable asset for local athletes, clubs and visitors for years to come.

The new purpose-built facility, opened in September 2026, features flexible changing rooms, showers, unisex toilets, a lounge and kitchen area, plus sheltered viewing areas for supporters watching the action on the lower fields. We’ve also upgraded the car parking around the sports hub. This work comes after new lighting was installed in 2025.

In the next phase, we will be looking to seismically strengthen the stadium to ensure a more friendly and safer visitor experience.

Thank you to Better Off Funding from Central Government, NZ Lottery Grant Board and NZ Community Gaming Trust.

Location:	Owen Delany Park, Taupō
Project status:	Completed
Budget:	$5.3 million (external funding)
Start date:	September 2025
Completion date:	September 2026

Councillor Rachel Cameron and Taupō District Mayor John Funnell cut the ribbon at the new community sports hub.

New sports hub opened at Owen Delany Park

7 September 2026

A new purpose-built community sports hub at Owen Delany Park was blessed by Rev Peace Mitchell last Friday before a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of an audience of funders, supporters, community sports groups, contractors, sub-contractors and council project staff.

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About Owen Delany Park

Owen Delany Park is home to 14 different sports codes and also hosts numerous events and concerts.
The park attracts over 600,000 visitor movements each year – that makes it more popular than the AC Baths!
44 percent of those visitors come from outside our district, bringing extra dollars to local businesses.
It’s not just the weekends – 74 percent of park use is on a weekday afternoon.

Project updates

MAY 2026: The roof is now on the building!

Significant progress has been made on the new sports hub being built at Owen Delany Park, with the roof now on the building.

The sports hub will consist of eight change rooms and a club room, and our contractor marked this milestone by laying on a roof shout for all involved. Most of the aluminium joinery has also been installed and the glazing is not far away. Check out the video for more info!

New facility at Owen Delany Park taking shape.

MARCH 2026: New Owen Delany Park facility takes shape

New changing rooms are being built at Owen Delany Park to better serve the lower sports fields and cater to sizeable growth in women’s sports codes.

Car parking will also be upgraded and events and venues manager Steve Giles says plans are underway to seismically strengthen the existing stadium to ensure a more friendly and safer visitor experience.

“It’s great to be witnessing the next stage of improvement work for Owen Delany Park,” Steve says. “Back in 2024 we were very fortunate to unveil the new stadium lighting, which was stage one of a major master plan of improvement work, and stage two is the community sports hub being built here now.”

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Artist impression of new changing rooms at Owen Delany Park. — *Artist impressions are indicative only. The final facility may differ in some details.*

Locals helping with construction of new sports hub

Owen Delany Park’s new Sports Hub is almost finished, with local young people gaining hands-on experience and helping with construction through the Gateway Programme.

Be part of the 'First 14' to take centre stage on new scoreboard

The next phase of the Owen Delany Park project masterplan is upgrading the park scoreboard, and we’re looking for our ‘First 14’ to be a part of this - not First 11 or First 15 - but First 14 because there are 14 sports codes that use the park – everything from netball to archery and of course cricket and rugby.

We’re inviting sponsors to come forward and contribute to the scoreboard and be a part of continuing the Owen Delany Park legacy. You’ll get your name up on the board, so if you or your organisation wants to be a part of this fantastic project then get in touch.

For further information or to become a part of the First 14 contact Bryre Forlong on funding@taupo.govt.nz