13 November 2017
Sporting groups in Gunnedah will soon have the option to play under lights at Donnelly Fields after Gunnedah Shire Council awarded the contract for the supply and installation of lighting to REES Electrical Pty Ltd at the Extraordinary Council Meeting on December 7.
The $770,000 project will be fully-funded by Gunnedah Shire Council after the need for lighting at Donnelly Fields was identified in Council’s Community Strategic Plan and the Riverine Landscape Masterplan for the Namoi River Foreshore and Parklands in Gunnedah Shire.
“The project is necessary to accommodate the needs of current sporting groups and to create an opportunity for increased use by organisations that will soon be able to utilise the facility under lights,” Gunnedah Shire Council’s Chief Engineer Daniel Noble said.
“The project will improve the grounds for a variety of sports including touch football, softball, and night cricket.”
The project involves the installation of six, 30 metre high lighting poles with the entire playing area expected to be under light.
The lighting phase forms part of the overall Riverine Landscape Masterplan. The Masterplan has already seen the installation of a Gross Pollutant Trap, shelters on Namoi Playing Fields, a cycleway, bollards to restrict vehicle access to the river, an extension of Donnelly Fields by 22 metres, irrigation upgrades to automatic systems, kerb and guttering and road upgrades, sealing of road entrances, tree planting, extensions to Donnelly Fields amenities, top dressing to level both fields, picnic shelters, provision of car parking and bins, and a new turfed cricket wicket.
Council has also purchased a vacant block on the corner of Tempest and Bloomfield streets for potential sports field developments in the future.
The construction phase of the project is approximately 20 weeks, with work to upgrade the current electrical supply scheduled to commence in February 2018. The project is expected to be completed by July 2018.
Photo Caption: Manager Public Facilities Geoff Phillips and Chief Engineer Daniel Noble discuss lighting plans for Donnelly Fields.
ENDS
Media Contact: Ashley Gardner 6740 2100.
