The Invercargill City Council will be pushed for time to make the Rugby Southland Supporters Club mould-free and ready for opening season.
Councillors yesterday approved, during an extraordinary infrastructural services committee, the unbudgeted expenditure of $100,000 to complete part of the work in the venue.
Rugby Southland staff moved out of the stadium offices last year due to issues with structure and a toxic mould.
Council property manager Paul Horner presented a report which stated the RSSC lounge had to be stripped of mould-affected material, but still needed to be refitted to a usable standard for the beginning of the Mitre 10 Cup season on September 13.
During last month’s council meeting, questions were raised about who was responsible for the fit-out costs at the clubrooms, which is owned by the council.
But a resolution was made when council approved the funding to complete the work at the lounge, which will include electrical wiring, and ceiling and carpeting work.
However, this would be only possible if the venue was deemed to be compliant on a mould test.
Mr Horner said the timeline for this to happen was quite tight as the results of the mould test were expected on Friday.
"It must be emphasised that the major risk to achieving the programme above is receiving a clear mould test ...
"If this not clear, the date for the first game in Invercargill will not be met. Furthermore, more cleaning work followed by more testing will be necessary."
He said that usually took s about three weeks per cycle so the next game date that may be met might be on October 17.
Mr Horner also said he was preparing a report about the wider maintenance work which was required at Rugby Park to be presented to councillors soon.
