Armidale's Michael B Moran Oval received a State Government grant worth $80,614 on Monday morning to go towards solving some of the facility's drainage problems and improve its match playing score.
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Owned by Armidale Regional Council but currently leased to Armidale Blues Rugby Union Football Club, the oval is also used by cricketers. Drainage issues often meant the oval's two playing fields have been unplayable, playing havoc with competition rugby, cricket and any other sport using the fields.
Armidale Regional Council Mayor Simon Murray said Moran Oval was one of the jewels in the crown of Armidale sporting facilities.
“An improved playing surface will be invaluable for the multitude of sports that use Moran Oval and many other residents who use the open space for recreation,” Cr Murray said.
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“Moran Oval hosts significant regional events, attracting competitors from far and wide, so there are also economic benefits from making the facility and its playing surface more resilient to wet weather.”
Sports tourism is worth about $16 million to the Armidale region each year.
Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall said a concrete retaining wall about 50 metres long and 1.2 metres high, including the balustrades is planed to solve the problem, along with an improved, engineer-designed drainage system that will divert runoff from the railway lines nearby into existing drains so that it doesn’t flow onto the fields.
Mr Marshall said work would get underway once council begins the tender process and finalised the project schedule.
