ABOUT THIS SITE
If you are fed up with cancellations, sick of sport played in a mud bath, then it's time to elect a pro-turf Council. Let's have a Council committed to building "all weather" surfaces, and doing it quickly.
We have written to all the Wellington City Council candidates and asked them to outline their policy on investment in artificial sports fields?
The responses we received are set out below - to help you decide how to vote this election.
You can find plenty of discusion on this issue at www.yellowfever.co.nz - home to fans of the Phoenix and Wellington's football community.
SAVE THIS WEBSITE AND REFER BACK TO IT WHEN MARKING YOUR VOTING PAPERS!
Write here news or dates of coming events
Allan Probert
I support at least two artificial sports surfaces in the eastern suburbs and have been supportive of the Ories initiative to bring one to the polo ground. Youth sport especially is dramatically affected by ground closures as I am aware with my own 4 childrens involvement in weekend sport including rugby, netball and football. Its especially notable that hockey which my daughter plays is on every weekend due to artificial surfaces across the region. I bemoan the capital tied up in the indoor sports stadium and also believe that significant drainage improvements will help ameliorate some of the issues. I also believe that we cant expect council to pay for everything and believe a summit of interested parties would be the best way to to create a long term strategy for all sports as we seem to deal in the short term at present.
Rob Goulden
I have coached and supported junior soccer for the last 5 years and also referee and play other winter sport. I have always supported the artificial turf program and moved a motion at Council this year with Councillor Foster to have the program brought forward a year so we could get more fields sooner. I am well aware of the frustrations in the last couple of years with cancellations. I would like to see at least one artificial turf in each of the north, south, central and eastern areas and if we can afford it add more as money is available. I also like the idea of centres where a lot of teams can be playing in an area at the same time. The only set back with this is that at the current artificial turfs there seems to be a lack of parking to cater for the high numbers of visitors.
Mike Mellor
I support the plans in the council's Long-Term Council Community Plan to install further synthetic pitches from 2013, and I'd be sympathetic to proposals to advance that programme if funding and location matters can be addressed - I see from the Dominion Post (24 August) article that there may be a proposal about this put to council before the election. As the article notes, it's unfortunate that the Indoor Community Sports Centre has absorbed so much of the recreation capital budget that could otherwise have been spent on artificial surfaces.
Tony Travers
CANCELLED AGAIN! The cry from households around Wellington this winter whether it is from the football or rugby variety. If youre lucky enough to be playing on an art artificial surface the games go on. I'm 100% behind creating artificial parks, I believe it will not only improve the value of our venues, it also can only help to improve the skills of our up and coming stars. We need to start targeting sports grounds; Hataitai Park is a good start. This park is already used by rugby and softball; why not bring more sports in like the stadium.
Leonie Gill
I am very supportive of new artificial playing surfaces across the City. I am aware of the extreme difficulties winter codes have had over the last few years with very wet/muddy playing conditions and numerous cancellations. We should be encouraging all young people to be part of Sports clubs but to do this we must give them the opportunity of playing and practicing and it is obvious artificial surfaces are the answer. I am wholeheartedly supporting the John Morrison /John Dow artificial turf initiative. This will bring forward funding for the turfs sooner than any process undertaken solely through Council deliberations.
Simon 'Swampy' Marsh
Who is this impostor Swampy grounds? OF COURSE I support artificial playing surfaces and more of them and ideally sooner rather than later. Private/council partnerships and trust sources, logical funding alternatives to the ratepayers pocket have already been proposed and reported on. In addition remember we need to fund the increased operating costs, these pitches would be in great demand and require lighting. Would senior players view a part charge against operating costs as fair? HOWEVER, lets not forget Swampy grounds, we cannot afford to artificially surface all our sports grounds, we also need an accelerated drainage upgrade programme. Bring on the oranges.
