Whanganui Football Charitable Trust members (from left) Mike Cronin, Bryan Stewart and Trevor Strong with the completed Wembley Park football facilities. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown
Whanganui Football Charitable Trust members (from left) Mike Cronin, Bryan Stewart and Trevor Strong with the completed Wembley Park football facilities. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown
The new football facility at Whanganui’s Wembley Park is complete after five years of planning and construction.
The two-storeyed facility, located next to the Roly Taylor Stand, is the first major capital project in the park since the 1970s.
Its first chance to be celebrated and overlook a senior matchwill be on August 30 when Whanganui Athletic face Palmerston North United FC in a friendly.
The group behind the project is the Whanganui Football Development Trust whose members, particularly Trevor Strong, Mike Cronin and Bryan Stewart, have dedicated hundreds of hours to getting it over the line.
Strong said the building had a valuation of about $2.4 million and it would be owned by the trust after signing a 30-year lease for the site with Whanganui District Council.
Strong was thrilled to have completed the project and to have had himself, Cronin and Stewart contribute to a large portion of the planning and implementation.
“We are very proud as a trust. We’ve done a good job, we controlled it as mainly three [people] because it is too hard to build a building with too many people involved,” Strong said.
“It’s been a very good project in the way that the trust has handled it.”
Whanganui Football Charitable Trust members (from left) Mike Cronin, Bryan Stewart and Trevor Strong in front of the Cosmos Lounge. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown
About $1.1m was raised by the trust and the Whanganui community. The trust spent $250,000 of its own money to complete drainage and some trade work.
Strong said the construction and interior work were completed in June but they had to wait another two months for the council to sign off on the building.
The trust hoped to get plenty of use out of the building in its first few years, with it available to rent for parties, weddings and tournaments.
Strong said it was not just for Whanganui Athletic Football Club or football activities, but “a big win for Whanganui” as a whole.
The facilities will be available when Athletic play Palmerston North United FC on August 30. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown
Strong said Whanganui’s football scene was growing, which was perfect timing.
“There’s a lot of people playing football and a lot more than people may think,” Strong said.
Strong said at a recent junior tournament he witnessed an estimated 1000 kids lacing up their boots at Wembley Park.
