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Canterbury Rugby has used the bulk of the hours earmarked for community use at a ground which Selwyn ratepayers paid $60,000 to upgrade.
The council put $60,000 into upgrading the Lincoln University field in February last year, which now serves as the base for the professional South Island Super Rugby Aupaki team Matatū.
In exchange, the council gained 40 hours of community use of the ground which started this year to be administered by Canterbury Rugby and Ellesmere Rugby Sub Union around Matatū’s schedule.
But of the 40 hours, 32 have been used by Canterbury Rugby for a pre-academy an under 16 and under 18 camp – without the knowledge of Ellesmere.
Ellesmere Rugby chair Leslie Greenslade believed it was community use but questions its benefit to Selwyn.
“Whether it was Selwyn community use or not, that’s another matter,” she said.
She was not surprised Canterbury Rugby had used the time without telling Ellesmere.
“There’s lots of different departments in Canterbury and not everyone knows what the other is doing, so it’s not unusual to do their own thing,” she said.
Canterbury Rugby declined to answer Selwyn Times questions about why it did not tell Ellesmere it was using the field or if it believed the events it ran were a benefit to the Selwyn community.
When the funding was agreed to last year, it was without the knowledge of councillors, using leftover budget from the reserves fund.
Mayor Lydia Gliddon, who was a councillor at the time, told Selwyn Times she was concerned about the process. If it had come to a council decision, she would not have voted for it.
Gliddon did not respond to a question from Selwyn Times if she thought the new information about the use of the ground covered community use.
“We would do things differently today with more oversight from the council. I have said publicly and to staff that if surplus funds are available in future, it would be prudent to carry them forward into our operating surplus or supply a good reason for investment,” was all she would say.
Former mayor Sam Broughton, who backed the spend last year, did not respond to Selwyn Times questions.
Greenslade said they are working with Canterbury Rugby on better communication.
Outside of Canterbury Rugby, other hours regarded as community use were for a game between High School Old Boys women’s team and Lincoln University, a community day with Rolleston College and Villa Maria, a U16 Rolleston/Ellesmere Combined game, and an Ellesmere Combined U18 game.
While the agreement between the university, the council and Matatū stipulated 40 hours, Matatū general manager Sarah Munro said more could be available.
“We are really open to having any further community usage of the field beyond the 40 hours.”
Munro said she spoke to Greenslade and Mike Lay at Canterbury Rugby to let them know.
Greenslade was unsure if they would take up the offer.
“We have development series starting shortly, but we have like 160 kids signed up, so we don’t actually have parking for 160 kids and their parents.”
She said they may run smaller targeted trainings.
In October, the field will also be used as a training ground during the Rugby League World Cup and a Black Ferns national training camp. Neither is classified as community use.