Park gets $500k for major upgrade

LONG OVERDUE: Wairarapa Bush Rugby Union is looking to develop Memorial Park into a multisports complex with night lights and an artificial playing surface.

Night-time competitive sports could soon become a reality on the number one ground at Memorial Park after Trust House yesterday confirmed a $500,000 grant to Wairarapa Bush Rugby Union (WBRU) for the installation of lights and to upgrade the playing surface.

Paora Ammunson, chairman of WBRU said the project has been in the mix for some time.

"The project has been worked on since May 2013 and the support provided by Trust House means the long overdue developments will see Trust House Memorial Park become a truly great destination place for our community of sports.

"The lights in particular will give the community an opportunity to host rugby, football, other sports, community activities and major events during the week and work around the family environment."

Chairman of Trust House Craig Cooper said the grant was one of the largest approved in years and "highlights our commitment with the planned upgrades".

The majority of the Trust House money is expected to go toward the installation of the lights but Wairarapa Bush CEO Tony Hargood said exactly how the money is to be spent is still unconfirmed because of ongoing presentations with Masterton District Council and the Lottery Commission which may both contribute to the project, which is expected to cost $2.6 million to 2.8 million in total.

The WBRU has made a submission to council for $750,000 to go toward an "artificial surface, surroundings and lights, as part of a four-way funding project between WBRU, Masterton District Council, Trust House and the Lottery Commission".

The lights are expected to cost $650,000 in total.

The artificial turf is expected to cost between $1.6 million and 1.8 million which the RBFU said will "increase utilisation of sports fields from 5 per cent to 30-40 per cent, generate additional revenue through gates and hosting fees, increase sporting participation and become a destination point for sporting and community groups".

The WBRU said the artificial turf proposal has "always been a multi-sport project and at no stage presented a rugby-focused angle other than to lead the applications and management of the ongoing facility".

An additional $400,000 will be spent on upgrading the existing office and clubhouse, which are both 20- to 30-years-old.

The Lottery Commission has said it will "put forward a very good case" once Masterton District Council has confirmed its position on the project. It is expected the commission will match the amount MDC contributes to the project.

The WBRU concluded its submission to MDC by saying, "This is a significant project and also very unique for a provincial New Zealand town".

"To have two funders with additional financial resources at a set period of time is also unique ... Memorial Park requires a large amount of infrastructure work outside this project [old power poles, unsafe fence lines, sinking road and pathways and major field and drainage issues] so to combine all this work at the same time is sensible and logical."

More details on the project will be announced at the end of June.