Cut in sports field budget 'disappointing'

Sandra Coney. Photo / Natalie Slade

A bid to boost sports field upgrades over the next decade by $100 million has been whittled down to $87.5 million in Auckland Council's long-term budget talks.

Council parks, recreation and heritage forum chairwoman Sandra Coney said yesterday she was highly disappointed at the figure.

The need to accelerate field upgrades had come through loud and clear from local boards after a winter games cancellation rate of 20 per cent.

"It was not a figure plucked out of the air ... it had been carefully worked out," she said.

The council commissioned a regional study for 10 years ahead, which predicted greater closures of sports fields - especially for training.

Last season, the Herald reported dozens of complaints from parents about children missing five out of 16 scheduled games because of water-logged fields.

In a budget meeting, Mayor Len Brown voted against a $12.5 million increase over the next two years for upgrading fields.

Ms Coney said the council study confirmed the need for additional playing capacity to meet demand in a rising population of younger people.

"One of the goals of the Auckland Plan is to make children a focus so, yes, it is disappointing."

The $100 million extra would have given 20 new artificial fields and sand carpet upgrades and improved drainage to help meet shortfalls for training.

The present regional budget for capital improvements to fields is about $20 million.

Sports parks manager Mark Bowater said the $87.5 million would go a long way towards addressing supply and demand problems.

The shortage of good playing surfaces was a constant theme of the local boards' submissions on the draft Auckland Plan.

Mangere-Otahuhu board chairman Leau Peter Skelton said a number of parks in his area were almost beyond seasonal use for soccer, in particular.

"Local clubs are failing - removing more forums for healthy and disciplined activity for youth. Significant investment now will see a raft of benefits in the future, including decreased health and policing costs."