Push to light up Bay Oval

A plush venue, a world class wicket and the surrounding scenic views to back it up. Now all Mount Maunganui's Bay Oval needs are some lights to book its ticket to regular international fixtures.

The catch? The lights come with a $2million price tag – something the Bay Cricket Trust doesn't have and Tauranga City Council are reluctant to provide.

An aerial view of the Bay Oval during last week's ANZ ODI's between the Blackcaps and South Africa. Photo: Ross Brown.

Last week the Bay Oval announced itself on the international cricket scene by successfully hosting two Blackcaps one-day internationals against South Africa.

Bay of Plenty Cricket Trust general manager Kelvin Jones says for the last 12 years the trust has made every penny count to achieve their dream of hosting an international ODI.

Raising $5 million, including $1 million from TECT, has allowed the trust to develop the Oval and its facilities up to international standard.

Now with this ticked off, the trust's attention have turned to developing the ground into a viable cricketing option, both during the day and at night.

'We need lights - that's been made really loud and clear,” he says.

'We could almost write our own ticket if we had lights and get guaranteed cricket.”

Over time, raising the funds and installing lights could pave the way for night-time ODI's and test matches.

A number of community groups are already coming forward top help, including TECT and Bayleys Real Estate Bay of Plenty, with the latter putting forward $10,000 to develop international standard lighting at the ground.

Kelvin believes lighting would be the icing on the cake for a venue that has a current estimated value of $6m.

'The big one for us is we need the community to really get behind us,” he adds. 'The lights are just a tad under $2m; it's a big number but we just have to get there.

'The value of this facility we have created here now is about $6m so the lights are the next logical step.”

Kelvin is grateful for the support shown from the community, but believes the likes of Tauranga City Council needs to see the value of the facility and help out a bit more.

Tauranga City Mayor Stuart Crosby agrees international standard lighting is the next phase of development for the Bay Oval, but cannot guarantee any level of funding towards the project.

The council own the grounds and would have nothing more than a planning role in any future decisions through its Open Space Strategy.

'From a funding point of of view we provide a level of service across all our open spaces and sports fields,” says Stuart.

'Those types of lights would be way above that, obviously. If they wish to make an application to us they are welcome to; I don't know the prospects of success.

Stuart admits it is early days in the venues' international career but council, and himself personally, would certainly get behind the trust in establishing other funding mechanisms.

'Whilst we might not be in a position to directly fund money, we would be in a position to be part of the team to find other sources,” he added.

'At a lower level we are currently funding lights in and around Blake Park and other reserves but they are for training. But definitely they are not the type of lighting system needed there (Bay Oval).”

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8 comments

Need lifghts

Posted on 30-10-2014 14:41 | By YOGI BEAR

I would say that it would be a lot better to make better use of the existing facilities that already have the lighting available. Baypark for instance has the required lighting and this venue is well under used. Add to that ... the lights there cost $730,000 not $2m, so why so much more, something odd about this.


Not BayPark

Posted on 30-10-2014 15:27 | By Kelvin Jones

Yogi Bear, like most things at Baypark the lights were built on the cheap and are sub standard for televised cricket. Baypark lights are barely adequate for rugby never mind a small white ball traveling at 160kph. That aside, a clay track, substandard turf , no wicket block and a rugby season that ends in late October make for pretty trying playing conditions.


A big no from ratepayers

Posted on 30-10-2014 15:33 | By Annalist

The community and council have already put a lot of $$$ into this and now there's a push for even more??? If all this new cricket thing is going to make so much money then let cricket pay for it. Sorry to be a grinch but Tauranga City needs to repay debt, not increase it.


A familar story ....

Posted on 30-10-2014 15:48 | By Murray.Guy

'We could almost write our own ticket if we had lights and get guaranteed cricket.”


Trustpower

Posted on 30-10-2014 18:14 | By Johnney

They have a few dollars and are in the trade plus this is their home turf. Great marketing for them!!!!


@yogibear

Posted on 30-10-2014 19:00 | By cs1983

Lights for cricket v lights for speedway are two different things - and u can't play cricket at bay park - the shape is wrong for one thing... How guaranteed is the cricket? look at Taupo - they hosted 1 game and that was it...(yes lights failed but they could still return and play) Agree with the get rid of debt, but at the same time - increasing events could bring more people into town - and that would fill some coffers somewhere for TDC :)


Bright Spark

Posted on 31-10-2014 07:55 | By peecee09

Hey Kelvin I and I presume many others would like to make a small donation on line .How about setting up an online donation option or maybe GIVEALITTLE would be the method ???


Not a Speedway

Posted on 01-11-2014 12:02 | By Kelvin Jones

Great idea peecee09. We'll look into it. Thanks for your support. Murray Guy, perhaps you'd have been more of a fan if it had a Speedway track around the boundary? Always surprised me how anti you were when in council considering how little this costs the rate payer.


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