Football prepares for ground upgrade

A bid to light up the sportsground at Sir Basil Arthur Park will get a push once the football season starts.

The lighting project, which was first flagged last March, was still in its early stages, according to Football South chief executive Chris Wright.

‘‘We’re still working through a number of options, but we really need to get some surveying done and come to an understanding of what’s required.

‘‘Once we get the scope of the project then we will be able to go out there for funding. We’re hoping to be ready for that by the first half of the year,’’ Wright said.

Timaru District mayor Nigel Bowen, who is also South Canterbury Aoraki Football chairman, said it was hoped work on the lights would begin in the second half of the year.

‘‘We’re running a bit behind schedule at the moment, but we’re hoping that we can begin fundraising in earnest in the football season,’’ Bowen said.

The season traditionally runs from April to September.

‘‘There are a number of funding organisations which have expressed an interest in this project,’’ Bowen said.

He said the project was likely to cost about $500,000, and the lights would be able to cover three fields at Sir Basil Arthur Park.

Bowen said it was hoped the project would create a ‘‘football hub’’ for the region.

Football is one of the biggest sports in the region, with more than 2500 players registered across all levels.

The project is one of several sporting upgrades across South Canterbury, including the $900,000 upgrade of the Aorangi Park athletics track, which is due to begin early next year.

Other projects include the $2.4 million upgrade of the hockey turf at Aorangi Park, due to be completed in 2024, while the South Canterbury Rugby Union is planning an upgrade of Alpine Energy Stadium, which is expected to cost about $7.5m.

This project would include the installation of a hybrid playing surface on the No 1 ground which will be the same as Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium, with real grass woven with artificial.

There will also be an additional sand-based turf on the No 2 ground at Alpine Energy Stadium, along with a new multi-use pavilion on the northern side of the ground.

Meanwhile, a proposal to upgrade the cycling track at the Caledonian Grounds is in limbo as the Timaru District Council and other organisations, including the South Canterbury Cycling club, grapple with a response to the eroding cliff face of the nearby Patiti Point.

‘‘We’re running a bit behind schedule at the moment, but we’re hoping that we can begin fundraising in earnest in the football season.’’

Nigel Bowen