Pitch for top sports fields wins funding
FOOTBALL South has scored an extra time winner, securing funding to build two artificial turf sports fields at Logan Park.
Conceived in 2014 as a legacy project after Dunedin hosted matches during the 2015 Fifa under20 World Cup, Football South has spent the intervening years raising more than $3 million towards building the pitches.
Crossing the $3 million barrier meant it could apply for money from the Lotteries Significant Project Fund, and confirmation on Thursday of a $890,000 grant from that source meant the money was in place to make the project a reality.
‘‘It’s a big thing for the federation and it’s a big thing for community sport as well,’’ Football South chairman Matthew Holdridge said.
‘‘It feels like we’ve scored a goal at the World Cup.’’
While Football South has driven the project, other sports will use the pitches.
Chief executive Chris Wright expected the two pitches would receive constant use, and floodlighting would mean use at night.
‘‘We can’t wait to get started. It’s going to make such a difference to sport in this city right from the grassroots to the elite level,’’ Mr Wright said.
‘‘The best problem that we could have is that there will be so much demand for them, and there will be agreements between the sports and council to make sure use is balanced across the sports.
‘‘We can schedule games on week nights, we can have games early in the morning, and we can fit lots of smallersized pitches on the big area and have lots of games going on at the same time, so it opens up lots of opportunities.’’
As captain of national football league team Southern United, as well as a youth team coach and football development officer, Conor O’Keeffe will be a regular user of the facility, which he said would be a gamechanger for the sport in Dunedin.
Funding for the project has come from:
A Dunedin City Council ($1 million).
Fifa/Football South. NZ Football $420,000.
Otago Community Trust $760,000. McMillan Trust $130,000.
Lotteries Community Facilities $500,000.
Lion Foundation $175,000. Sir Eion Edgar via NZ Football Foundation $50,000.
The Highlanders $15,000; Lotteries Significant Project Fund $890,000.
It had been intended to build the pitches sooner but the project ran into problems over rising costs and delays due to geotechnical issues.
Building work will begin in September, the first earthworks being in October.
It is expected the pitches should be available for play in March, when the next football season starts.
‘‘It’s loosely modelled on Memorial Park in Masterton, which is a dual rugby and football surface,’’ Mr Wright said. ‘‘It will be a multipurpose surface which is both IRB [International Rugby Board] and Fifa certified and will be really high quality — people will really enjoy it.’’
SPEEDY pacer Franco Santino has his pedigree to blame for not being able to enjoy a winter holiday.
The 3yrold will start for the first time since his third placing in the group 2 Southern Supremacy Stakes in today’s feature pace.
Many of Franco Santino’s rivals from that event will be rugged up with their heads in their winter feed buckets when the Nathan Williamsontrained and driven pacer steps out in race 6.
Franco Santino is not in for a luxurious winter, partly because unlike many of those rivals he has not been gelded.
Rather than have the horse striding around the spelling paddock and displaying colty behaviour he will trying to win races.
‘‘We thought with him being a colt and him being on the weaker side we would keep him active through the winter.’’
Franco Santino is by Christian Cullen from 10win Western Ideal mare San Rafaella
Keeping him a colt gives his owner, Neville Cleaver, the faintest of hope of his horse developing into a stallion prospect like close relation Raging Bull.
Williamson gave Franco Santino a short break after his bold third in the Southern Supremacy Stakes.
The pacer’s return to full fitness has been made tricky with Southland trials and workouts finished for the season.
Williamson said his charge was as fit as he could be without having the benefit of a recent pipeopener.
‘‘He has had a bit of racing under him though. He only had about 10 days off after the Supremacy. He is probably 90%. He will definitely improve with a couple of races.’’
Franco Santino has not seen the standing start tapes in a race, trial or workout and will face them for the first time today.
‘‘He has not had an official stand anywhere. He is a sensible horse, but there is a bit of a question mark on how he will begin.’’
‘‘He has had a bit of practice at home and he has been adequate there. I think eventually he will be quite a good standingstart horse.’’
Mad Lui Li, Pass The Speights and Shadow Minister look the pacers Franco Santino has to beat.
Nathan Williamson lines up Grey Power in race 5, tomorrow’s feature trot.
The horse looks an eachway chance behind main contenders Arran Chief, Peggy Nova and Red Hot Poker.
Grey Power ran third in last night’s feature trot at Forbury Park behind her stablemate Splash Cola.
Splash Cola was patiently handled by driver Matthew Williamson in a tactical affair.
He kept the mare out of the duals for the lead involving Madison Jane, Kiwi Crusher and Heard The Whisper before launching Splash Cola for a big finish in the straight.