Golden Bay Football Club will not play in this season's competition due to the Takaka Hill remaining closed on Saturdays. Photo: Barry Whitnall/Shuttersport.

Golden Bay sport teams stranded

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Junior footballers in Golden Bay will have to wait a little longer to start their season this year.

Cyclone Fehi caused significant damage to the Golden Bay Football Club’s grounds and access to and from the small coastal settlement.

GBFC committee member Pew Singh says the season’s start will be delayed because of the Takaka Hill closure times and the quality of the football fields at the Rec Park Centre.

“The football season is set to kick off on April 7 but as it stands we do not see the possibility of being able to submit teams in the Nelson competitions.”

Takaka Hill is closed on Saturday’s between 8am and 5pm while parts of the road are being repaired and the club feel it is impractical to expect teams to travel outside of these hours to get to games.

“No team from the Nelson area will come to play here in Golden Bay with these travel restrictions.”

Pew says the fields at the Rec Park Centre are unsafe and unusable in their current state.

“Once there is a change in the travel restrictions for the hill we will recommence participation in the competitions. But until that time we will train and arrange matches within Golden Bay, ourselves.”

Golden Bay High School and Takaka Primary School have also offered the club use of their fields while the damage is being repaired.

“We are still registering all our teams (including junior, youth and senior) and when the hill does open again, and the council deem the fields to be at an acceptable standard, we will re-commence playing in the Nelson leagues.”