Be proud Sutho.
Few sporting organisations in Australia can say its members have raised more than $1 million for its playing facilities. But that’s what we’ve done over the years with our first sand-based artificial surface, built in 1990 and subsequent water-based fields.
The sand-base was paid for by a loan guaranteed by members putting up their houses as guarantees. Our first water base failed because of construction issues and the company that built it went broke.
Desperate times
So we scrounged a multi-hundred thousands of dollars low interest State Government loan facility and built another one. Otherwise we would have gone under. Sutherland Shire Council thankfully pitched in with the base works.
That pitch served us until the end of last season and the Summer Comp, when work started on the new one which has just been finished.
Cost: $326,000 for the field, less a $3500 old turf dumping credit – the public loved it, with a truckload going to Wagga for a paint ball range -and a $2000 sponsorship from builders Polytan.
Ancillary watering system works are expected to cost $15,000, new gates and slab $9300 and new goals, covered by a grant, $6300.
We are paying cash for it. Virtually every cent raised over the years by the generous hard work of Sutho’s members, helped with a $27,500 grant last year from Miranda MP Eleni Petinos.
Replacing the field wasn’t the only big project in the works in the off-season.
Club stalwart Bill Melchert has practically been living at the ground since work began.
Water upgrade
As well as keeping a close eye on progress on the pitch replacement, Bill has been heavily involved in upgrading the watering system and building steel gates for areas that will store training goals. He has also shown a previously unknown literary talent in his highly informative reports on the works.
Sparkies Extraordinaire Peter Tait and Frank Rowling have been big contributors to the revamped watering systems power supply.
In addition, we will have a new food preparation kitchen. Frank Rowling was highly involved with sparkying again, plus painting – abetted by whoever of the Rowling boys he could round up. It’s sparkling white in there, folks.
We’re looking at holding a Club Day early in March to celebrate the completion of the job.
More details later.
Sutho’s new synthetic surface completed
Pictures from Peter Tait and Polytan
