New artificial sportsfield for St Patrick's College

'The rollout of artificial sportsfields in Wellington is set to continue with Wellington City Councillors yesterday agreeing to pay half the cost of a new turf at St Patrick's College in Kilbirnie.

The new all-weather sportsfield is a partnership project between the Council and St Patrick's, with the Council paying 50 percent of the total cost up to a maximum of $800,000.

The turf, which will be IRB and FIFA certified, will be used for college football and rugby matches and will be available to the public for club matches.

It is the latest addition to Wellington's growing network of artificial sportsfields, which is easing pressure on grass fields in winter and allows fewer games to be cancelled due to wet weather. In the last three years four artificial facilities have been installed across the city: at Te Whaea in Newtown, Wakefield Park in Island Bay, Nairnville Park in Khandallah and Wellington College ? another partnership with the Council which is due to open next month.

Sports and Events Portfolio Leader John Morrison says the Council plans to rollout more artificial sportsfields across the city to ensure all suburbs are adequately serviced. The next all-weather turfs are likely to be installed at Alex Moore Park in Johnsonville, Tawa and the western suburbs, possibly at Ian Galloway Park.

Cr Morrison says the St Patrick's project is a good deal for the city because colleges and clubs in the region can take advantage of a first-class facility ? and at will be built at half price for both parties.

"It may not necessarily be the best of economic times but sometimes you simply have to invest in things that will make the fabric of the community stronger," says Cr Morrison.

"We want more kids, and adults for that matter, participating in sport. The great thing about these artificial fields is that sporting activities can carry on year-round without the interruption of wet weather ? and they can be used by different codes.

"There is a big demand for these all-weather facilities and while this latest project is by no means the end of the journey, I think it's fair to say the rollout of artificial sportsfields is changing the face of winter sports in Wellington."