Irrigation funding for Cromwell sporting sites

Photo / ODT File

Two Cromwell sporting sites have received a combined total of nearly $30,000 from the Cromwell Community Board to help with irrigation projects.

At its meeting earlier this week, the board approved an $18,000 funding request from the Central Motor Speedway Club to help install an automated irrigation system.

Speedway Club president Daryl Ainsley said the current manual irrigation system was too time - consuming for club members to operate - taking up to four hours a day over summer - and was a poor use of town water.

The new system would hopefully also reduce the club's water bills.

The total materials cost for the project was $50,000, excluding GST, and the irrigation would be installed by club members and volunteers to save money.

Mr Ainsley said the new system would be in place by next summer.

The board also approved a $10,000 funding request from the Cromwell Golf Club to help purchase a new irrigation pump and associated electrical control gear.

In a letter to the council, golf club manager Irwin Harvey said the course needed irrigation most nights during the summer to keep grass, trees and plants alive.

The existing pump and control system had been operating for over 25 years and was "very near'' the end of its life, he said.

The cost of the project was $54,880, excluding GST.

To fund the rest of the project, the club would apply to Pub Charities and about $30,000 would come from club funds.

Funding for both projects came from rent the clubs pay the council every year, as the sites are on council land.