WCC Sportsfields

Morrison talking smack again

Why did he vote against bringing forward a turf? External funding? He�s having a laugh � trying to pass the buck. Sort out what the screwed up at Karori Park and stop worrying about rotating the cricket block 10 degrees numpty.

http://www.capitaltimes.co.nz/article/3221/Getturfed.html

WELLINGTON could soon be home to quite a collection of artificial sportsfields, says Wellington City Councillor John Morrison.
His comments herald the July 24 launch of the artificial turf in the old Wellington Showground car park.
For many, the opening provides a welcome relief after a season of many sport game cancellations.
�Because of our terrain in Wellington, flat surfaces are hard to come by, and many of our sports fields are ex-tips, so drainage is not great. Community sports are under pressure. I�d like to see five or six more artificial grounds around town,� Morrison says. �You can play on them all the time regardless of the weather.�
As well as this latest Newtown addition, there is also the hockey stadium with its artificial turf in Mt Albert Park, and a year-old ground at Nairnville Park.
Morrison says more turfs are exactly what Wellington needs, and he�s already working on getting them.
�We�re looking at funding options at the moment. [Council] have done this one [in the Showground car park] ourselves, but if we�re going to get a number we�ll have to look at other avenues,� he says. �We�ve done an informal survey asking players if they�d be prepared to pay to play, and I haven�t had a �no� yet. I think lots of parents wouldn�t mind paying $5 so their kids can have a game.�
Other funding could come from the lotteries � New Zealand Community Trust put $500,000 towards the Nairnville Park turf, or a commercial partner.
�The All White�s success has drawn a lot of interest, and FIFA do allocate money to enhance the game � it�s not major in New Zealand, but we are exploring all these options. There�s such a demand for these things, we see them as the answer to Wellington sportsfield problems,� says Morrison.
The initial set-up isn�t cheap, however. The council approved $2 million for the latest artificial turf, and Morrison says he expects each field would cost at least $1.5 million.
Once they�re up and running, however, they are extremely cost effective, he says.
�They are far less expensive [than grass fields] � they�re virtually maintenance free. If you get the right base and drainage you can just about walk away.�
Sites for future artificial turfs are now being considered, including at Wakefield Park in Island Bay. Morrison says a more concrete plan is expected early in the New Year.
In the meantime, the council is looking to improve existing grass fields by employing methods such as putting down a sand base.
�We�re looking at the possibility of that for Kilbirnie Park, which is a mess at the moment but it gets a lot of games and practice,� Morrison says. He insists the council�s aim is not to get rid of the green.
�We�d give our right arm for more grass fields, [but] if we can get these artificial turfs they will enhance the fields.�
The new artificial sportsfield will be officially opened by Mayor Kerry Prendergast and Al Black legend Andy Leslie, 10am, July 24.

generally these go the way of the mayor's vote. With the deputy mayor also voting against the motion it didn't really have a chance. But local body elections are not far away and there's a chance to vote in councillors who are more pro. Celia Wade-Brown is also running for mayor. Conclusion - get out there and vote for those who will support a similar motion next year.

Should I run for Western Ward?