Sand slitting sports fields and installing a shelter at the Netball Centre are the next planned works to happen at the Mercury Bay Multi-Sport Park.

Four of the five fields still require sand slitting to help with drainage during winter, while The Mercury bay Netball Centre has developed a proposal for a shelter adjacent to the netball courts.

Sand slitting of fields Two, Three, Four and Five, plus installing a shelter at the Netball Centre are the next planned works to happen at the Mercury Bay Multi-Sport Park. Photo: TCDC

In the Thames-Coromandel District Council's 2015-2025 Long Term Plan, $1.7million has been allocated over the 10 years towards improvement works.

The Mercury Bay Community Board has recommended the priority for 2015-2016 is sand slitting fields Three and Four, along with lighting for the netball courts.

Sand slitting fields Two and Five will happen in 2016-2017.

'The Number One field which has been recently sand slit is performing well,” says Mercury Bay Multi-Sport Park coordinator says Sue Costello. 'Even with the considerable amount of rain we've had recently.”

Junior and secondary school rugby training sessions are being held during the week and are now hosting weekend fixtures.

Mercury Bay Secondary School Rugby's Stacey Bale says they too are very happy with the sport park's field.

'We're now able to train during the week and play on Saturday at this great facility, an asset to our community.”

Also planned for the sports park will be the construction of a shelter which is estimated to cost $13,600 and will be paid for by the netball centre via fundraising and grants.

Planners Plus has also offered to prepare building and planning applications at no charge.

The Mercury Bay Community Board has also agreed to waive $3,000 of building and consent fees by using the remaining budget of its current Board Discretionary Fund.

The Mercury Bay Recreation Trust has sourced funding for the new goal posts which have recently been installed on Number One field.

This enables rugby union to play on Saturdays and rugby league to play on Sundays.

For more information about the Mercury Bay Multi-Sport Park contact coordinator Sue Costello via email at: sue.costello@tcdc.govt.nz