McLean Park Upgrades Expected To Cost Napier City Council More Than NZ$2M

An upgrade of New Zealand McLean Park's turf and drainage systems is "expected to cost" Napier City Council more than NZ$2M ($1.41M), according to Simon Hendery of STUFF. An overhaul of the ground will be "carried out next summer and is necessary to ensure the venue remains up to scratch" for int'l cricket matches. That status has been "up in the air since February" when a match between the Black Caps and Australia was abandoned because the playing surface was deemed "unsafe -- five hours after persistent, but relatively light, rain had stopped." The council previously budgeted NZ$851,000 ($599,200) to lay new turf at the park. But in a report prepared for Wednesday's strategy and infrastructure committee, staff said that the full upgrade -- "including new drainage and irrigation at the ground" -- would cost more than NZ$2M. An interim report commissioned after February's abandoned ODI "pointed the finger of blame for the drainage woes" at the council and "poor management" decisions by ground staff (STUFF, 4/18).