Renovations at Tahuna Park, Logan Park No6 and the Caledonian Ground are well under way for the Fifa Women’s World Cup next month, with the three grounds getting a $1.5 million spruce-up to be quality training facilities for the tournament.
New lighting has been erected at Tahuna Park, and good progress made on the grandstands, gender-neutral changing facilities and some drainage work on the grounds.
"It’s going to be an amazing asset for that South Dunedin community, and the sporting community, for a long period of time because it won’t be just [for] football, it’ll be a variety of different sports," McGowan said.
Logan Park’s lights were also up, work to the ground’s surface was under way, and the area would be closed in a few weeks, as would the Caledonian.
Work on the lights at the Caledonian is halfway through — "an amazing change there" — and the grass work was also tracking nicely.
Improvements are also being done at Memorial Park, in Mosgiel, as an alternative venue and Forsyth Barr Stadium changing facilities are being upgraded.
McGowan said the upgrades were a fantastic asset for the whole city and were very much needed.
"When they were first built here they were fit for purpose, but now we know the community and society had moved on quite a bit, so we need to be adapting those facilities as we go along.
"This is a great way to get some of them kick-started to be able to do that by using some of the [MBIE] and Sport New Zealand money and council money in advance.
"But what it does now is it sets the bar. We now need to make sure that we have a plan for the rest of the facilities around the city that are owned by joint ventures to be able to make sure that they are up to standard as well."
The World Cup kicks off in 35 days, with a heap of "moving cogs" and work being done behind the scenes, to showcase Dunedin to the world.
He encouraged the community to get involved and in behind the international event.
"It’s very, very exciting for the football community, but also it really is the first opportunity for the South here to have a major worldwide tournament for a long period of time.
"I hope people take the opportunity to buy those $10 kids’ tickets and $20 for adults, and get along and just be part of a community that’s having fun and enjoying something."
