McKellar Park closure shows need for water reform

Much better than talking about it when there isn't any.

Something needs to be done about the exorbitant water fees many of our sports are forking out.

Clubs are getting charged at the same rate as what a house pays - just on a much bigger scale.

It's one of the reasons why the gates of McKellar Park remain closed this summer, despite being the spiritual home of Canberra United.

They've been forced to play W-League games at Viking Park this season instead.

A combination of water costs and the economic impact of the coronavirus meant the Belconnen Soccer Club have been unable to keep McKellar in tip-top knick.

Sure, gazing through the locked gates, everything looks fine. The pitch doesn't look anything like a jungle.

But it's one thing to maintain a patch of grass. It's another to prepare that patch to W-League standards.

And that takes money. Which is where the ACT government could help. Either through reduced rates or using recycled water.

Not only have Belconnen had to shut their Hawker club due to COVID-19, but they've also had to cut back on the costs of maintaining McKellar.

There was the option for Canberra United to play there this summer. But Capital Football would have had to cover the $4000-$5000 per month it costs in upkeep.

Then there's the $28,000 water bill for the summer ahead.

It's not a problem that's particular to McKellar Park. Or Soccer. Most Canberra golf clubs could curl your hair with just a glimpse of their water bills.

Last summer, as the drought smashed Canberra, one golf club had a bill in the vicinity of $400,000.

You could almost buy a house in Canberra for that. Well OK, half a house.

Yes, I can hear the gibbering - water is precious and shouldn't be wasted on sports fields. They should pay their share. Blah blah.

But sport plays an important role in our ever increasingly dormant society. Obesity. Healthcare costs. Mental well-being. More healthcare costs. Et cetera. Join the dots.

Belconnen chief executive Geoff Long told Saturday Serve they were financially sound, but they have had to make cuts.

An affordable water solution would be a big help. Especially given they're not one of the big licensed clubs in Canberra.

And yet they maintain the premier soccer venue - outside of Canberra Stadium - in the ACT.

"We at McKellar, we're on potable water as well and we're a little club," Long said.

"Normally around the quarter for the summer months our water bill is anywhere between $25,000 and $28,000 for three months.

"If we had relief on water for the next 6-12 months on the stadium [it would be a big help]."

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But, as business starts to pick up again, the plan is for McKellar to be back in action when Belconnen United run out in the premier league next year.

And United should be back there next summer as well.

Long said providing the venue was part of their role in the Canberra community. And they'd even provided it free of charge for Canberra United the past couple of seasons.

"The stadium will be up and running again in our normal soccer season," he said.

"The way it's going with the vaccines and all that sort of stuff I think that's going to be a bonus even for the other clubs.

"It's part of our core nature. It's there for all Canberrans, with the W-League and that.

"Even last year, because we were trading along nicely we haven't charged for the W-League [games] for two years to let them make the profit off it."