THERE was no back-up plan for Harbour City GymSports if it didn’t secure the former Wellington Darts Association building in Hataitai.

But with the deal done and dusted, the new facility was officially opened earlier this month, to the sound of bagpipes, with children jumping on trampolines and balancing on beams.

The club – with a 12-year tradition of teaching gymnastics – relied on a group of parents to find a new venue for the gym.

They had to relocate after the buildings they used became part of the Port Nicholson Block settlement between the Crown and Taranaki Whanui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika.

The parent group began their search in 2007 by looking on GoogleEarth for buildings in the eastern suburbs that appeared to have a large roof.

“The building had to be big enough to provide space for the full-sized 12m2 sprung floor and the full 25m vault run,” says Stephanie Williams, president of Harbour City GymSports.

There is now also sufficient height for rings and room for bar and beam activities.

The new site has a mezzanine level which allows parents and other children to watch what is happening in the gym below.

Programmes are run every week for around 350 people of all ages and abilities, from preschool to national level competitive gymnasts who train for up to 15 hours a week.

“We now have a long-term venue, which gives us a huge opportunity to keep gymnastics and GymSports going strong in the eastern suburbs,” says Mrs Williams.

Eastern Suburbs Sports Trust purchased the building and now leases it to the gym.

It is the first building the trust has been able to purchase and the gym made an approach at the right time, says Dean Galt, owner/operator of one of the trust founders, Pak’n’Save Kilbirnie.

Slideshow: