By Stu Piddington

There will be no dramatic changes to Alpine Energy Stadium in the immediate future after South Canterbury Rugby Union takes over ownership.

The rugby union will not decide any capital project priorities going forward until after consultation with clubs and stakeholders, which would likely begin in July.

The Timaru District Council has agreed to dissolve the Fraser Park Trust allowing the rugby union full control of the stadium and its future.

South Canterbury Rugby Union chairman Ray Teahen said the union has set up a asset management committee, which will take responsibility for the facility.

Board members Brent Isbister (chairman), Russell Leech and Steve McCoy have been appointed but the union was also looking for some outside expertise to help them move forward, he said.

For several years remedying the state of the No.1 ground surface has been a priority for the union.

Whenever there is heavy rain the lack of drainage sees the surface cut up and the ground is it taken out of action.

SCRU chief executive Wayne Hart said the ground remained on the list but where it sat on the list would not be decided until the consultation had been held.

"There has been no decision or analysis as to whether it should stay natural grass, sand-based or an artificial pitch."

Other items being looked included a dedicated changing facilities for women's and girls' teams and upgrading the referees' facilities, with the union noting one of the provinces top whistle bowers was a woman, Chresta Martin.

Hart said the changing room situation was not only for local competitions but also to attract and retain mixed tournaments in Timaru.

"The growth in the women's game will be crucial going forward."

The union was also looking to upgrade safety arrangements between vehicles and pedestrians inside the stadium.

Hart said finding a funding a source for any project could well determine where it sat on the list.

"There are several sources which can be approached for funding and they have a variety of criteria."

Clubs would likely also have differing views of priorities which would be taken into account, he said

The union still also has to make a decision on the east stand, that has been fenced off because of safety concerns.

The cost to bring it back into use with a viable life is approximately $130,000.

"That decision is yet to be made."

Hart said the rest of the buildings at the stadium were safe to use.

The agreement with the council will see the assets transferred into a new trust to be called the Fraser Park Community Trust.

The original council contribution of $240,000 will be converted to a new, 15 year loan secured by a mortgage over the stadium, which will be written off against new capital developments. 

​The agreement ends what began as a stand-off between the council and union in January last year.

The 3.7493ha stadium has a capital rateable value of $2,120,000 of which $510,000 is land value.

Back in play

Alpine Energy Stadium's No.1 ground should be back in action on Saturday.

Heavy rain and a cut-up surface in crucial areas has seen games transferred to the No.2 ground or outside the stadium the past two Saturdays.

SCRU chief executive Wayne Hart said it was never an easy decision to move games away but it was important to protect the surface for the upcoming club finals and the Heartland season.

The decision to move games was made by the chief executive (Hart) and chairman of the council of clubs (Jeremy Sutherland) after advice from the appropriate union staff.

Hart said often the surface could look all right but it wasn't until it was walked on the proper assessment could be made.