With the money we pay for rego only to not be able to play a winter sport is ridiculous
For those in the Newcastle Council area, this what council sends to the clubs every so often. The assessment is done using a council app and answering questions. It then decides if the field is open or closed. You have to take pictures with the app to support your answers.
Good afternoon all,
It feels like ground hog day...
We appreciate that club volunteers are being asked when sport can resume. As an update, Newcastle has received more than 614 millimetres of rainfall since February and Monday just gone, another 50.4 millimetres was recorded.
Leading into the weekend, many sportsgrounds remain wet, with those in low lying areas or close to waterways struggling to dry out in the cooler weather. Following today's inspections, please see here for current sportsground conditions.
Reminder on assessment process for any usage over the weekend (including tonight) –
From 2.30pm Friday to Sunday night, if it rains, an assessment will need to be completed prior to any train/ play.
If the sportsground is showing as closed, an assessment must be completed before any play/ train and can only be used if the assessment shows the sportsground as open.
If assessed and open, please be reminded that inspections should be completed throughout the day to ascertain if there is any deterioration to the condition of the sportsground.
Please be reminded that any excessive damage caused from inappropriate use is the responsibility of the Licensee. This may include recovery of all remediation costs and / or possible suspension of licence in instances where such damage is considered to be excessive and greater than would be expected from normal wear and tear. Additionally, any excessive damage caused to the sportsground from inappropriate use will be charged as per City of Newcastle’s fees and charges, “Use of Sportsground out of season, without approval/licence, closed or in wet weather".
We will continue to complete regular assessments across our 160 sportsgrounds to ensure all maintenance work continues when ground conditions allow.
Hopefully we see the sun out all weekend and it continues into next week.
Thank you again for all you are doing for community sport and should you have any questions, please contact me.
Spot on.
What’s the point in waiting until Saturday morning if it’s obvious the ground won’t be playable? It’s not like we are talking a little bit of rain. The Herald reported on Thursday that Newcastle had received 119.8mm of rain since Saturday. It’s not like it’s going to dry out overnight.
The app allows clubs to open the grounds on weekends even if Council has closed them but the liability then transfers to the clubs if someone gets injured. Plus you have Council threatening clubs with fines, licence suspensions, costs for repairing turf. And people wonder why games don’t get played.
I don’t blame the clubs at all. It’s a brave committee that makes a 50-50 call with all the Council noise buzzing in their ear.
If ya games don’t play this weekend, cut the clubs some slack and take up your beef with NCC.
I bet NCC still charge the clubs ground usage even if the ground is closed
That’s fine NCC can close the ground but if the ground is closed all week surely the club should get a rebate on their fees
The point is that teams already have a list of rescheduled games to make up. Even if there is a slight chance the condition of that pitch will get better than you need to take that chance.
It's not like taking that chance is some huge gamble we're you'll lose big if you don't wait, all you have to do is wait 14 hours give or take.
The wording of this is very threatening to clubs imo. Basically a situation of, If the field looks damaged or used in any way when we inspect it, you’ll be charged. Which is an unnecessary cost that a club has to pay, and recoup through its members.
So I can see why many are hesitant to open when they are getting emails like that.
If it’s any consolation, games in Sydney are also being called off all over the place.
People need to start lobbying and harassing elected council members, Councils refuse to consider synthetic options even when clubs are doing all the work and installation will be done with grant money. Then they send threatening emails about use of the grounds they can't be assed to make fit for purpose.
If people want change they need to start pushing the elected members to do a better job, instead of spending money on new cars and friggin concerts and motorsports (in Newcastle). They like to take all the credit when clubs get grants for womens facilities and upgrades, but don't want to come to the table when they actually have to do something that involves serving the community.
Pffft, council are more interested in spending millions on a brand new office and making sure Nelmes and co have a pay rise.
Don’t forget that Newcastle has increased rates by nearly 50% of the past 5 or so years, and yet we’re seeing very little work on our sports grounds. Look at Smith Park add lights there plus improve the sheds and it could support 4-5 fields but NCC don’t care.
Middleby Gone
Lawrie Out
Maitland Jaffas game called off at Maitland today
I agree with you completely.
We have a mayor who won't put bins in toilets for women, but spent 85k of council money on a special order ford ranger with a special paint tint - he couldn't even comprehend the optics of spending money on something that needs that much fuel (claimed he paid the difference for fuel for private use (at $2 a litre)) let alone the consideration of cost of living rises for his community or the fact that council has a green policy and could have better spent the money on an EV!!
These are the people who are controlling the use and maintenance of our sporting facilities.
I'm presuming nearly everyone got on this weekend? Surely, it hasn't rained since Tuesday.
this is going to be released on social media at 4:30 this afternoon:
the following is scheduled for all competitions: ‐
MiniRoos to Adult
8th,9th, 10th July – Round 1 games (previously published)
12th, 13th, 14th August – Round 4 games
19th, 20th, 21st August – Round 5 games
Other games that need resetting from other rounds will be either midweek or Sundays for the
remainder of the season.
Zone Football League
12th, 13th, 14th August – Wet Weather… 2022 fixtures
19th, 20th, 21st August – additional Wet Weather
26th, 27th, 28th August – Round 18
This is good, definitely a start. Hopefully weather is drier by then.
Still pretty cheesed off that Macquarie is dragging their heels on getting other rounds replayed. Our Round 2 game at home could have been played last Sunday this Sunday, days during the week last week, this week, yet it still hasn't been reorganised yet. It'd be different if there were games being played on it and we just had to wait our turn to get on and play, but they're not rescheduling any games to go on it, they're just sitting empty.
It's football, not s***er!!