Further Delays to Summer Sport Season
The start of the summer sports season is being delayed further for some codes as crucial renovation work on some sportsfields has been held up due to wet spring weather.
The Council's Sportsfields Manager, Trevor Jackson, says the changeable weather over the last month has delayed renovation work and all sports have been affected.
"There will continue to be a staggered start to the summer sport season across all sports. This is driven by the condition of each park, how badly it has been affected by the weather and when we have been able to get on to the park to carry out the renovation work.
"The condition of the sportsfields coming out of a very wet winter means they have taken longer to recover and some have only become accessible over the last few weeks.
"This year we are also undertaking major drainage upgrade work at Kilbirnie and Karori, which has affected these parks and their current condition."
In September this year, the average rainfall was recorded at 201.8mm - the wettest in the last eight years - compared to 79.8mm for the same time last year.
Mr Jackson says the Council is working with the various sporting groups about their individual sports and intended start dates, which will vary from park to park.
"We want to thank the sporting codes for working with us during this frustrating time, especially by keeping off the fields so that they can recover and play can resume more quickly. This has meant a very limited amount of time available to the summer codes for pre-season practice.
"We're hoping for an improvement in the weather and will keep assessing the situation. Until then we are asking local sportscodes, clubs and groups to continue to not train on the affected fields," he says.
The Council is urging people to phone its cancellation line, (04) 801 4134 or visit the Sportsgrounds section of this website, to check on grounds.
Information is updated at 8.00am and 1.00pm daily and will say which grounds are closed and list any exceptions.