Overview
Purpose-built indoor sports facility designed to serve both Matamata College and the wider community.
Developed as a shared-use venue, it’s a modern, flexible environment that supports a wide range of sporting codes. And creates a central hub for community connectivity.
About the project
The facility comprises a large-scale 1500m² gymnasium, 200m² mezzanine viewing platform, 121m² storage areas, with split 500m² amenity and changing village for both school and Matamata-Piako District Council staff.
The gymnasium accommodates multiple sports, including basketball, netball, volleyball, badminton, pickleball and futsal, supported by specialist sports flooring and retractable systems to maximise flexibility.
A CLT mezzanine provides elevated viewing and grand stand facilities with additional storage, enhancing functionality for events and day-to-day use.
A key client objective was to create a high-quality, multi-use facility that would benefit both the school and the broader community, while maintaining strong stakeholder engagement throughout delivery.
As a community led fundraising initiative, there were a variety of stakeholders to keep informed through the project. Fosters achieved this through ongoing collaboration with the school, council and local community, including student engagement, fortnightly site visits and workshops that built a sense of ownership and transparency in the project. Fosters committed to taking stakeholders on the journey, so they could see and feel the significance of their contribution.
The build presented several coordination challenges, including managing split civil and building contracts, integrating specialist automated sports equipment, and resolving structural design complexities.
Working proactively with consultants and suppliers to address these issues, the construction team maintained programme momentum, even facilitating early access to the gymnasium - to align with the school calendar – which was not a contractual requirement. Started in May 2025, the project was handed over in February 2026.
For contribution to the project, Fosters were named Silver sponsors of this facility.
2026
2,187m2
$7.36M
Broader outcomes of this project - beyond the building
- Strong community and stakeholder engagement throughout the project, including ongoing involvement with the school, client and local businesses. .
- Student workshops and career pathway sessions delivered for Year 12 and 13 students.
- Gateway programme opportunity extended to three Matamata College students, supporting hands-on learning and exposure to the construction industry. One student became a Fosters’ apprentice.
- Regular site and community tours, creating visibility and connection to the project as it progressed.
- Opportunity for local businesses and stakeholders to be involved in delivery, strengthening community ownership.
- Silver Sponsorship by Fosters, supporting the project beyond contractual delivery.
A walk-through the Matamata Open Country Community Stadium Project, September 2025
Students talk about the Gateway Programme,
September 2025
Client testimonial
Fosters won a competitive tender process for this project, in part due to proposing a gateway programme for Matamata College students to be involved in the construction project, said Senior Project Manager for Matamata-Piako District Council Chris Lee.
He noted that the “genuine buy-in” from Fosters, from the start, was a major factor in the success of the project.
“Throughout the tender and design stages they provided practical insights that improved functionality and usability,” said Chris.
“Consistently looking ahead, they made design and construction recommendations that supported long term performance, ensuring the facility wouldn’t leave the community with future liabilities.
“Drawing on their experience with similar projects, Fosters helped shape this into a truly purpose-built facility, improving functionality and usability.”
From Matamata College Principal Dr Angela Sharples perspective, Fosters added significant value “by moving well beyond a standard construction role and genuinely partnering with us to deliver a purpose-built community facility.
“From the outset, they understood that the Open Country Community Stadium was not simply a building, but a long-term investment in young people and the wider Matamata community” she said.
“Fosters worked collaboratively with the school, Matamata Futures Trust, Council, and key stakeholders to ensure the design and delivery reflected how the space would actually be used, by students during the day and the community after hours.
“At every stage, they demonstrated a willingness to adapt and improve the outcome, rather than simply deliver to minimum specification.”
Three students were on site for a day a week, as part of a 6-week Matamata College Gateway Programme.
“A particularly significant outcome was the authentic integration of our Gateway programme into this project,” said Dr Sharples. “Students were able to engage directly with Fosters on-site, gaining exposure to real-world construction environments. Importantly, this has translated into tangible outcomes.”
One student has since secured an apprenticeship with Fosters.
“Delivering on a core objective of the project” she added, “the stadium has strengthened connections between the school and the community. Fosters played a key role in bringing that vision to life. They have been an outstanding partner to Matamata College.”
