All-weather facility now well on track

The start-gun has well and truly sounded for the project to build an all-weather athletics track in Masterton.
Trustees driving the proposed eight-lane facility at Colin Pugh Sports Bowl could hardly contain their delight yesterday, after Masterton District Council agreed to contribute the "crucial" $300,000 they had asked for.
The decision was made subject to the developers' full $1 million package coming together, and the trust is confident that can be done.
The immediate next step was to quickly send off a funding application to the Lotteries Commission, one of the three other major funders the trust is looking to for support. The others are Trust House and the Eastern and Central Community Trust.
Carterton District Council had committed to providing $25,000, while South Wairarapa District Council would be contributing no funding.
Other funders, including local companies JNL and Breadcraft, had indicated support and trust member Mark Harris hoped between $50,000 and $100,000 could be gathered through a public fundraising campaign.
He could also now reveal which firms the trust would contract for the building of track, which he wants to start this summer.
Oldfields would carry out civil works - including the asphalt road the track will be founded on - while Team Sports Surfaces would build the rubber track surface.
The overall package also includes facilities for pole vault, high jump, long jump and other track and field events.
Developers have estimated the track would have a life of 15 to 20 years and would have 8760 users over 204 days, 120 of them during athletic training days.
Users included Masterton, Carterton and Featherston athletics clubs as well as "untapped groups of potential users" such as primary and secondary schools.
The resolution to have eight lanes and not six makes it possible to host national championships, although Mr Harris doubts Masterton has the infrastructure to host such events.
Rather, he said it was a facility that could be used by all people, including veterans and disabled users - " and not just a few elite athletes" - and also had positive spin-offs for Wairarapa's health.
"The $300,000 from the council was crucial. It's made it all concrete. Now we can go forward."