By Michael Burt
Sport will be back on in early April at the Connell Park playing fields, according to latest monthly update report on the Connell Park Precinct Upgrade project.
Council Deputy General Manager Ashley Greenwood said the fields are finally flush green with turf and both amenities’ buildings are in the final stage of completion.
“We’re getting close,” Mr Greenwood said.
“We are looking to completion in late March 2026 and anticipating the first competitive games to be played in early April.”
Mr Greenwood presented the report at last week’s Council meeting and highlighted an ongoing focus on the establishment of the turf.
He said council staff are also focused on improving the face of the new fields with new boundary fencing and some gardening love for the row of citrus trees.
The final stage of the project will start soon including installation of street furniture, vegetation works and planting.
Council General Manager Mark Griffioen explained that temporary construction fencing remains to restrict people from going onto the field and potentially damaging the establishing turf.
“We are trying to keep people off it over the next six-week period to give the best opportunity for the grass to really knit and provide that high level playing surface that we paid so much money for,” Mr Griffioen told counsellors.
Cr Andrew O’Keeffe moved that Council support an open community day once the fields are open to celebrate what he called a ‘milestone project’.
“It is a milestone project that I think we should mark with an appropriate celebration, and that should be a community open day,” Cr O’Keeffe said.
Mayor Steve Allan backed Cr O’Keeffe’s suggestion as a means of marking the transformation of Connell Park into a regional precinct with “first class facilities”.
