A shortage of sports fields is affecting local clubs but new fields may be some time away.

A budget of $843,000 for sports fields development at the showgrounds was reprioritised in the latest annual plan. 

The public will also have to wait until next year before consultation will begin on the potential redevelopment of 101 Ballantyne Road for greenspace and sports fields.

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) sport and recreation manager Simmon Battrick said a shortage of sports fields is “one of our biggest issues,” in a recent Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board (WUCCB) meeting. 

There was a shortage around the district “but particularly in the Upper Clutha”, he said.

The council has also received multiple complaints about the state of various sports grounds, Simon said.

Sport Central community sport advisor Kelvin ‘Tiny’ Carruthers told the Wānaka App he agreed there was pressure on sports fields in Wānaka, with football and rugby most affected.

“Cricket would be another one that is experiencing a lot of growth,” he said, “and hockey are wanting to have an increased field size.”

“The clubs are growing so the demand for sports fields grows with it,” he said. 

“They can probably cope in the short term but in the medium term they really are going to be needing more fields.” 

Tiny said the development of 101 Ballantyne Road, a 20-hectare site which the council has signalled will become a multi-use green space which can accommodate a range of sport, will be “very important” in meeting that demand.

However, the project has run into delays.

The site is the former oxidation ponds (that were decommissioned back in 2009) and recent on-site testing has found more contaminated material that needs to be removed from the site than expected.

The draft masterplan for the site - signalled in June 2022 - is also not ready.

“Potential development of the site will be considered as part of the QLDC Ten Year Plan 2024-34 discussions,” QLDC media and channels advisor Sam White said.

The $800K+ that was budgeted to upgrade two fields at the showgrounds was recently reprioritised to support stage five of the Lakefront Development Plan in the annual plan, he said. 

“The showgrounds field development will now be considered as part of the 2024-2034 Long Term Plan process.”

PHOTO: Wānaka App