Football South chief executive Chris Wright yesterday told the Otago Daily Times the expected cost of the $3 million project had risen by $700,000, after tests found worse-than-expected ground conditions at the site.
However, having successfully raised just over $3 million for the project — including $1 million from the Dunedin City Council and the rest from community organisations and individuals — Mr Wright said Logan Park remained the best site and the project would go ahead.
Exactly what form it would take would not be confirmed until August, as an alternative plan — involving two smaller training pitches instead of one of the full-sized fields — might need to be considered if a budget shortfall remained by then, he said.
The original plan was for two new artificial pitches to be built on fields bordered by Union St East and Logan Park Dr, providing an all-weather, multi-use alternative to the existing grass fields.
One would have football markings, while the other had both football and rugby markings, and an artificial cricket pitch would be added between the two artificial pitches.
Construction had originally been earmarked to start late last year or in the first quarter of this year, but Mr Wright said that would now not happen until after winter.
It was now earmarked to begin in September or October and take about three months, he said.
Testing for asbestos at the site had found no sign of the toxic material but it had detected "a fair amount" of silt, mud and variable fill below the surface.
That meant extra excavations, a geotech layer and a larger-than-expected concrete pad would be needed to provide a stable base to build on, which all added extra costs.
Without it, the new playing surfaces would face an "uncomfortably high" risk of damage over time from subsidence, he said.
"This is a long-term investment and [it is] really important that we build it correctly."
The good news was Football South’s success in raising money for the project, including the first $40,000 of the extra $700,000 which still needed to be found, he said.
That included $760,000 from Otago Community Trust, $500,000 from Lotteries funding, $430,000 from Fifa, New Zealand Football and Football South’s own funds, $175,000 from the Lion Foundation and $130,000 from the McMillan Trust.
A $50,000 donation from Sir Eion Edgar, as honorary patron of the NZ Football Foundation, and $15,000 from the Highlanders pushed the fundraising drive over its original budget target.
"We are pretty happy with the support we have received for the project."
While the drive to find a further $640,000 remained a "fairly big challenge", Mr Wright expected to hear back from more funding organisations within months.
It was possible the Dunedin City Council could also be approached again for a top-up, but that was yet to be decided.
"Our primary aim isn’t to go back to the council yet, but we will certainly be updating them.
"It’s hard to know at this point ... we may be really close and they could help us out."
DCC parks and recreation acting group manager Robert West updated councillors on the project at Monday’s infrastructure services and networks committee meeting.
Contacted yesterday, he said Football South was "doing a great job" in fundraising for the project.
The council had been "really clear" its commitment was for $1 million, but a fresh report on the project would be presented to councillors later in the year.A request for extra funds could be presented to the council, but the was no guarantee the council would support it, he said.
