The wait is almost over for eager sports groups to get on the turf at McKeachie’s new playing fields.
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Stockland will hand over the facility in the next fortnight, but was eager to show Maitland councillors the end result of the development agreement.
“We, as a council, will take great pleasure accepting these grounds,” the mayor of Maitland, Cr Peter Blackmore, said.
As well as the playing surfaces, the grounds include a kiosk, toilets, sealed car park, change sheds and a function room all worth $3.5 million.
“That’s a $3.5 million saving to Maitland ratepayers that will directly benefit Aberglasslyn,” Cr Blackmore said.
Yesterday, Stockland regional manager Stephen Barlow led councillors around the facility, which includes six light towers and a 100,000 litre water recycling system.
“Stockland has worked very closely with Maitland City Council throughout the planning and delivery of this outstanding new community resource,” he said.
“We weren’t obliged to deliver this, we could have just paid the developer contribution, but we chose to work with council and it has worked out well.”
The project experienced a few delays with amendments to the agreement on when the handover would take place, based on the number of housing lots that were developed.
Maitland Recreation and Sports advisory board chairman and councillor Henry Meskauskas said it had been worth the wait.
“I was ringing up Stockland pretty often asking them to speed it up,” he said. “There were a couple of blowouts on the schedule, but the wait has been worthwhile.”
Cr Blackmore said it was a first-rate facility that would set the benchmark for future structures.
“I trust the community will appreciate and respects this facility,” he said.
“I hope that they will treat it as their own and ensure that it remains at this high standard.”
The opening will take place on May 4 when people will have the chance to have a go at various sports.
Sports clubs will be able to lodge their interest in using McKeachie’s Oval with Maitland City Council next month.
“We’ll call for expressions of interest in May and a selection panel will be formed to decide who will have access to the oval,” Cr Henry Meskauskas said.
The ground includes a cricket pitch in between two playing squares designed for the city’s popular codes.
Rugby league, AFL, soccer and cricket clubs are eager to access the ground.
“We [west Maitland] have the biggest teams in soccer, rugby league across all the grades,” Cr Meskauskas said.
