$2.1m turf plan faces shortfall

WHERE'S THEMONEY?: Ben Kinvig, 11 (left), Jordan Coulson, 8 and Daniel Coulson, 12, could represent the future of sport-on an artificial turf at Memorial Park in Masterton.

A multi-million dollar artificial turf and lighting project for Masterton's Memorial Park, due to start in November, is facing a funding shortfall of up to $300,000 - but sporting codes behind the plan remain confident it will go ahead.

At a meeting on Wednesday, Masterton District Council agreed to contribute $500,000 to the project, a third less than rugby and soccer had jointly asked for.

The decision to slash back the requested funding came after a lengthy round-table debate and, when the amount was settled on, councillors agreed to specify it was to be used only for the base material underlying the actual artificial turf - or carpet, as it is called.

Yesterday, Wairarapa-Bush Rugby Union chief executive Tony Hargood said the total cost of the lights and turf project was $2.1 million.

Had the district council come to the party with $750,000, the shortfall would have been about $50,000, but that has now ballooned to $300,000.

Lottery grants had provided $750,000, Trust House has given $500,000, the district council $500,000 and internal fundraising by sporting bodies $50,000.

Mr Hargood said the $300,000 would have to be found within eight weeks but he was confident the gap could be closed by re-organising a fundraising campaign. The rugby union wanted to thank Trust House, the district council and the Lottery Grants Board, Mr Hargood said.

Former Masterton mayor Bob Francis, who is spearheading the project on behalf of Heartland Wairarapa Football, said the focus would be on bridging the funding gap.

He said work would go ahead over the summer season and the turf should be available for matches in April next year.

Mr Francis said Wairarapa United had been playing matches outside Wairarapa and it would be a major boost for the sport to have the artificial turf.

"It will be a quality turf to play on, " he said. Both the International Rugby Board and Fifa have approved the type of surface destined for Memorial Park for first class matches.

At the council meeting, only councillors Gary Caffell and David Holmes supported fronting up with $750,000.

Councillor Doug Bracewell declared a conflict of interest and took no part in the debate or vote.

Wairarapa-Bush Rugby Union has hosted Super 15 warm-up games at Memorial Park, with this year's game bringing in $99,000 in ticket sales and $150,000 in overall revenue.

The final surplus over costs has not been disclosed, for "commercial reasons".

An artificial surface in Masterton for rugby would be the first in provincial New Zealand but it has been tried at top level overseas, with a match played in Scotland with the host nation playing Tonga. Apart from rugby and football use, the turf is expected to attract other users, such as touch rugby players and junior cricketers.

The longer term plan is to tidy up the clubhouse and offices, and to work on the grandstand, but those costs will be outside the money raised for the lights and turf.