TWO more artificial sports fields are almost ready but winter sports blues may still affect Wellington players looking for a ground this season.
City Council contractors are currently working to complete two artificial turfs at Wakefield Park in Island Bay. The aim is to have the $3 million fields running by the end of next month. But Council sports fields manager, Trevor Jackson, says that will depend on the weather. He says the two new grounds will bring the number of artificial playing surfaces in the city to six. It will make a difference but the demand for fields is growing. Last winter a shortage of grounds meant a reduction in playing hours for many sports teams while heavy rain left many fields in poor condition.
“There’s a huge demand for sports fields and it will be a continuing problem,” Jackson says. “The council has increased its budget for sports grounds but the pressure will always be on.”
There are 16 new senior teams in Capital Football this season.  
“Artificial turfs can get 60 hours of use a week while it’s only six hours a week for soil based fields,” Jackson says. “ While artificial isn’t the answer to everything it does get more players onto the field.”
The council has brought forward plans to build further artificial fields around the city. A field is planned for Alex Moore Park in Johnsonville, a second in the northern suburbs – either the Tawa area or at Grenada North Park – and a third is planned for a yet unconfirmed location.
Negotiations are also continuing with Wellington College to finalise a deal that’s likely to see a new artificial turf constructed at the college for community and school use. The partnership would see both the council and the school paying $600,000 each for the new turf.
And the increasing cost of running and maintaining council sports grounds looks likely to impact players in the pocket. In its annual plan the council is proposing an 18 percent increase in sports field user charges.