Let there be light: Budget boost for sports fields

Upgraded and new sports field lighting across the Gold Coast will be a priority of the 2018-19 City Budget, to be delivered on 21 June.

Mayor Tom Tate said Council would allocate $1 million in 2018-19 to provide new and improved lighting for the local sporting community.

“The City is responsible for ensuring existing lighting meets the necessary standards. We are also focused on addressing our growth needs within the city, particularly in the north,” Mayor Tate said.

“We have seen that where adequate lighting has been installed in the past, the use of the sports field increases significantly.

“Robina Common is one example. An investment of around $300,000 in the latest LED lighting there has turned that public asset into a beacon for thousands of soccer players and their families. It keeps kids and adults active and involved in healthy family pursuits.

“We program our budget allocations based on priority however officers also assist sporting clubs prepare applications for other avenues of funding to ensure the optimal outcome for the community.”

The Mayor said the 2018-19 Sports Field Lighting allocation could also assist obtaining additional grants.

“Our divisionally-based Community Project Officers (CPOs) can work with groups to prepare their applications so this is a win-win for the city’s sporting community,” he said.

“The new lighting technology also provides energy savings and reduces maintenance costs.” 

Mayor Tate said the evolution of tightly-focused LED lights (like at Robina Common) meant concerns of lighting glare impacting nearby homes was significantly reduced.

Council has committed to keeping any rates increase at, or below, CPI. For the past six consecutive years, the city has enjoyed the lowest rate increases in history.