After years of growth, hard work and a dedicated team to push the project into goal, the Port Macquarie Hastings Hockey facility will get a much-needed upgrade, including a new field, which was severely damaged by rain last year.
Council agreed at its recent extraordinary meeting to provide Port Macquarie Hastings Hockey Association (PMHHA) with an opportunity to take out a $320,000 interest-free loan to resurface the field.
Port Macquarie Hastings Hockey Association Vice President Andrew Meldrum said the hockey facility was created in 1997 to meet the growing demand for games to be played on an artificial surface.
Over the years several bodies have run the facility, with the most recent, PMHHA, being developed to bring together both men and women as a united group to take hockey forward into the future.
One of the major steps to revitalise hockey was to reintroduce a Junior Hockey program in 2009 which offered parents an alternative to other sports, Mr Meldrum said.
“As part of the program, new players receive a stick, ball, shin pads and mouth guard,” he said.
Mr Meldrum said the facility during winter sees approximately 1000 people through its gates and several schools, soccer teams for training and The Australian Sports Commision conducting an after school sports program using the facility all year round.
And over the last few weeks junior cricket has also been trialling the facility for permanent use.
Over the last five years more than $160,000 has been invested into the facility to upgrade lighting, provide additional shelter and improve drainage in an attempt to alleviate an issue from a storm water drain that had been flooding the field, causing damage.
In 2010 a plan was developed to replace the field by 2015 through self funding arrangements. In October 2011 two large rain events overflowed the drain, cascading water onto the field causing irreparable damage.
Mr Meldrum said PMHHA contacted Hastings Council and local members Leslie Williams and Rob Oakeshott.
“Both Hastings Council and Leslie Williams began to pro-actively seek options for assistance,” he said.
“PMHHA and Leslie Williams met with the Minsters for Sport (Graham Annasley) in January.
“During that period several meetings were also held with Hastings Council in the hope a joint funding arrangement could be put together. PMHHA had arranged a bank loan of $200,000 to aid their cause.”
The solution has come in the form of the interest-free loan from Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, Mr Meldrum said.
He said the organisation was delighted with this solution.
“At the start of 2012, it looked like we would not have been able to play hockey this year.
“The start of the season, which is traditionally the first week after Easter, will be delayed until an expected return to the field in early May.”
The association had a plan to resurface the field in the next five years, but the extensive water damage threw a spanner in the works.
“The council will do the preliminary surface work as a matter of urgency,” Mr Meldrum said.
“It also will call tenders for the provision of a shock pad and new turf surface.
“The shock pad is the material that forms a layer between the sub-base and the turf.
“PMHHA can now continue with planning for the 2012 season, which includes a Come Try Hockey Day this Saturday with two sessions available at 9:20am and 10am at the Hockey Facility in Hockey Place Port Macquarie.” Come along and have a go!
