Eleven sporting and leisure clubs have formed a working group to develop one super facility at Trafalgar Park.
Several meetings have already been held where clubs have discussed the possibility of approaching Nelson City Council with a planned shared facility under a new eastern grandstand at Trafalgar Park.
The plan would seemingly fit in with the council’s plans for Rutherford Park, which it is planning to develop over the next ten years.
Nelson mayor Aldo Miccio says he’s fully supportive of the move but those behind the idea warn there’s a lot of water to go under the bridge just yet.
Steve Kelso, of Arrow International, is working with the group and says while the plan could be “wonderful” for the city and the clubs, it is only the very start of a long process.
“It’s very early days, yes Arrow International and Project Homes are working with 11 sports codes and Nelson City Council so that makes for a significant group. Those codes could represent thousands of users across the city. But this is a long term plan and we are only at the very initial stages so there’s nothing in concrete yet.”
Aldo says the proposal would create a “community hub” at Trafalgar Park and would be hugely exciting for the city.
He says the stand above the new facility would seat between 2000-5000 people which would push Trafalgar Park into one of the top stadiums in the country. He says the council had to withdraw a bid to host FIFA under 20 world cup games because the stadium was too small and having the stand would help the city in the future.
Nothing official will happen until detailed plans are finalised and a formal submission is sent to the council via the annual plan process but Aldo says the council is keen to see what the working group comes up with.
“It’s a big coup getting them all together and they’re all working towards a common goal. It will be one of the busiest places on a Saturday and Sunday and that will be good for retailers in the city as well.”
The working group is so new it doesn’t even have a name yet, says Steve.
“It’s too early to judge whether it will be successful, we’re trying to define what it could be. We’ve met each other, listened to each other’s needs but we haven’t put pen to paper about what it could look like. So it’s too early to say if it will fly but certainly the want to listen and talk to one another is a good start, and the user groups should be applauded for that.”
