Search for home almost over
JULIUS ROSS | January 01, 2011 12.01am
OLYMPIA Warriors' long search for a home ground is nearly over with the construction of a new artificial pitch at Warrane in its final stages.
And as the club gears up for its 50th anniversary celebrations in 2011, a conclusion to the ground hunt could not have come at a better time.
Warriors president George Mamacas said the club had been searching for a home facility for the majority of its existence and early this year, the Clarence City Council offered an opportunity to convert the Dampier St hockey ground into the first artificial soccer pitch in Tasmania.
"There is no doubt that the biggest thing for our club in 50 years is finally to have a long-term home ground facility," he said.
"Every grassroots club in the world strives for this and I am proud to say we have finally, after 50 years, achieved it."
Olympia has been forced to use various other facilities throughout its history, including King George V Park, South Hobart, the Domain Athletics Centre and once had a home pitch at Sandfly, south of Kingston, but Mamacas is confident the club will now be the envy of others, boasting a top-quality surface.
"Olympia Warriors will be the first club to develop a purpose-built carpet pitch for soccer in Tasmania," Mamacas said.
"The playing surface will be as perfect as any in the state, it will be conducive to excellent football."
Work on the pitch commenced in September with the old hockey pitch stripped back and a new base laid, although a wet December has caused delays to the gluing of the pitch.
"Stage two is the laying of the carpet, which is near completion," Mamacas said.
"We anticipate the ground will be completed by the end of January and there is no doubt that we will be playing season 2011 on this pitch."
About $500,000 will be spent on the new ground by club benefactors before the season kicks off in March, with another $500,000 invested over the next 10 years.
The name of the ground is under discussion but one possibility doing the rounds is Warrior Park.
http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2011/01/01/196941_soccer.html