The Queenstown Lakes District Council will decide at its meeting today whether or not to spend $260,000 on two new sports fields at the Wanaka Recreation Centre.
It will also consider adding $40,000 per year to the budget to maintain the fields.
The fields were not part of stage one of the recently opened $13.9million centre, although an artificial turf was.
Parks and reserves planning manager Stephen Quin said in a report to the council, a piece of land for the fields had been identified but it was not suitable for football or other ball sports.
Mr Quin said information from the Wanaka Associated Football Club showed the number of under-18 players had increased from 159 in 2014 to 342 this year and there were three senior men's teams compared with one two years ago.
The five fields available at Kellys Flat and Pembroke Park were ''at capacity'', he said.
Mr Quin proposed paying for the two fields from the Wanaka reserve improvement fund containing $1,259,039 of development contributions. The main costs were establishing an irrigation system ($180,000) and preparing the fields ($55,000).
The football club was in favour of bringing forward the development.
The artificial turf for hockey, netball and tennis is due to be completed later this year and the new swimming pool next year.
