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One of the region’s biggest netball clubs says it is at crisis point because of a serious drainage problem causing cracks, undulation, damage and mould on its six courts.
Netball Rodney Centre in Wellsford has more than 900 members using its courts at Centennial Park, which are owned by Auckland Council but leased out to the club, which has to maintain them. President Pixie Jones says the playing surface has deteriorated to the point where it is a health and safety issue.
In a deputation to last month’s Rodney Local Board meeting, she said the club had spent $90,000 on asphalt and textured paint coverings in the past two years, but the problems were persisting and getting worse.
“It was only sticking tape, a cosmetic covering, trying to stop the water getting in, but water is coming up from underneath,” she told members. “It’s becoming critical and will soon impact on safety. It is beyond the capacity of Netball Rodney to address.
“Our job is to foster netball and deliver it safely to our members. But we have serious drainage issues and a serious tree problem, too, with leaves from self-seeded poplars also blocking drains.”
Club vice president Lynette Gubb said Rodney was not an affluent area to draw funds from and the centre was unable to continue to top up the funding needed to maintain and upgrade the courts.
Board chair Beth Houlbrooke said they were aware of other facilities at Centennial Park facing similar issues and investigations were underway, with a full assessment due in the next financial year.
“Based on the outcome of this assessment, we would anticipate remedial or other works being scheduled into the Rodney Local Board work programme,” she said.
