A long-awaited upgrade of Bathurst’s football facilities is quickly becoming a reality as Bathurst Regional Council pushes ahead with plans to reconstruct three local fields.
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Work on the new fields at Proctor Park is expected to start by the end of the Bathurst District Football (BDF) season and be completed by the start of the new season in 2018.
BDF president Andrew Speed said the reconstruction work marked an exciting time for football in the region.
“It’s well welcomed. We’ll have three new fields, re-surfaced and re-drained,” he said.
“I don’t think its happened before in about 60 years. It’s the first time we’re getting new stuff like this.
“It should not be as waterlogged any more. Weather shouldn’t affect the fields.”
The three new fields are a part of council’s “master plan” for Proctor Park, which will see significant capital investment into the future growth and development of football in Bathurst.
“The field reconstruction works to the three football fields will be at Proctor Park and is anticipated to commence in October, being the ideal time for reconstructing turf fields and following the current winter football season,” Bathurst mayor Graeme Hanger said.
“The field reconstruction works will provide our community with football fields that conform to national standards, with the ability to cope with higher usage.
“These fields will be constructed with substantial in-field drainage, an efficient irrigation system and items such as new goal posts, fencing and player benches.”
Proctor Park is regularly unusable during the winter months as the clay base struggles to cope with rainwater on its surface.
Talks of an artificial turf pitch had been pushed back with resurfacing the fields the main priority.
Mr Speed said council had been very helpful in helping get the project underway.
“Council has been great with Michael Coote, Graeme Hanger and Monica Morse, while Gary Rush helped start it all,” he said.
New drainage systems in the fields of Proctor Park will make the surface playable all year round, as the field was frequently shut in 2016 because of the winter rain.
Mr Speed, who has been president of BDF for a year and on the committee for four years, said the redevelopment was the most exciting move he has experienced in Bathurst football.
The new redeveloped pitches will add to ongoing upgrades at Proctor Park.
Floodlights for field two were recently installed and are awaiting power connection.
Council announced its master plan for Proctor Park back in April 2015, which included redeveloping the grandstand and resealing the main car parking area.
This included purchasing neighbouring land to expand the complex to feature more football fields.