Council prepares to drain Domain
Auckland Domain’s main sporting field resembles a wetland, with ponds now an ugly feature on the eve of the summer sport season and a string of major events including Christmas in the Park.
Extreme rainfall this year has meant the city’s water table is still high, and water in the Domain has been unable to drain.
There are at least three major, pond-like features pock-marking the main sports field in front of the Domain’s historic grandstand. One has swallowed the bowler’s run-up at one end of the main cricket wicket.
But Auckland Council claims it has a plan to get the fields back in shape by early to mid-December.
Deputy mayor Desley Simpson said the fields were doing their job in the sense the Domain was “designed as a catchment area to collect water to take the pressure off the stormwater system in the case of a severe weather event to protect the flooding of residential properties and businesses in the surrounding local area”.
“There is a plan under way to fix the issue. The first was to let nature take its course. Now the ponds have reduced in size and hopefully we are past the worst of the winter weather, we plan to use a submersible pump to remove the last of the water ponding,” Simpson said.
“The water will be pumped onto the outer areas of the park surrounds and effectively act as extra irrigation to the dry areas of the park.
“This work is planned over the next few weeks.”
She said workers would need long spells of good weather to effectively dry the surface to a point it could be fixed.
“The intention is then to undertake a full renovation of the playing fields and affected areas. This will include surface removal of any dead plant matter via heavy scarification, compaction relief with a verti-drain machine to assist drainage and aeration into the soil profile, soil topdressing low areas if required and reseeding the areas with ryegrass and allowing the natural kikuyu grass to establish.”
The top fields, near the museum, are all okay for summer sport, including cricket and twilight football.
“The lower fields should be available for play/use optimistically by early to mid-December, there may not be full grass cover but should be a safe surface to use.”
The council had the budget for the work but it was difficult to provide a cost estimate, Simpson said.
“Sporting groups have been advised of the reduced number of wickets for the start of the season at the Domain. Auckland Council events team are aware of the situation and will be advised of progress, but we are optimistic at this stage the grounds will be available for the summer event season.”
The two biggest events in the Domain this summer are Christmas in the Park in December and Synthony in the Domain in February, by which time the fields should be well and truly fixed.
“The council events team will receive updates on progress once works start. However, weather pending, I am optimistic,” Simpson said.
Christmas in the Park was held on the top field last year, after a number of years on the lower fields.