One of the region’s largest football clubs is one step closer to being able to upgrade their facilities with Tasman District Council agreeing to fund two thirds of the cost, up to $435,000.
Richmond Football Club has been based at Jubilee Park since 1964 and has operated out of the same converted farmhouse since not long after.
The club currently has a membership of over 570, comprising 270 senior and 300 junior players. But as its membership has grown, its premises has not.
Club president Chris Sibbald says the funding agreement is a “massive step forward” in what has been a long process to get the clubroom upgrade underway.
“I’ve been here 10 years and we started really talking about this upgrade eight years ago, and it stalled from time-to-time so it’s really exciting that it’s now a reality.”
The clubrooms, which are shared with Waimea Toi Toi United Cricket Club’s 150 players, along with 85 members of the women’s league and 60 walking football players, provide just two changing rooms for all teams.
Club vice president Nick Rose told the Waimea Weekly last year that the situation is less than ideal, especially for the club’s senior women’s team.
“It’s not a safe place for them to get changed, they often get changed on the deck [in front of the clubrooms] or come already in their playing kit. Changing rooms would make the sport more appealing for more players.”
The club had the total cost of the extension, including scope risk, recently assessed at $650,000.
Based on the project costing, the Council maximum two-thirds contribution would be $435,000 on condition that the club has raised the $215,000 balance before the Council advances any funds.
Council agreed to the funding at its full meeting on Thursday with the contribution proposed to come from Richmond Reserves Financial Contributions.
The football club was also successful in securing $50,000 from Pub Charity in January, which has been used to complete detailed designs, and it has two other applications out for consideration.
A report to council said Jubilee Park has several ageing facilities and given the residential development occurring in the adjacent Berryfields and Meadows subdivisions, it made sense to ensure that these facilities are future-proofed and meet the needs of the community.
Councillors agreed, with some saying the game of football was a way community members from all backgrounds could integrate.
Chris says the next step is to set up a meeting with Scott Construction, who will undertake the upgrade, and the architect to prepare to submit consent applications.
Work will begin as soon as possible in line with their availability.
“We’re really grateful for the support we’ve had,” he says.
