Townsville City Council will not fork out to upgrade the lighting at Riverway on its own
Townsville is missing out on top level big bash and AFL fixtures because of one simple issue, but the council is adamant it won’t foot the bill.
Townsville
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THE lighting concerns at Riverway Stadium will not be addressed until there is a joint-funding model on the table, according to Townsville City Council.
The problem reared its head again this week when former Australian fast bowler Michael Kasprowicz demanded action to get the venue up to standard.
But as Mackay’s Great Barrier Reef Arena begins stage one of its major $24.2 million redevelopment, which has been jointly funded by the state and federal governments, Townsville’s international standard venue remains in the dark.
The stadium is an accredited ICC venue but its lighting is not powerful enough for matches to be broadcast at night, leaving the stadium to only host day games.
The Townsville Bulletin campaigned for the lighting to be upgraded back in 2018 and Queensland Cricket CEO Terry Svenson held wide-ranging talks with Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill on the issue in 2019 but still there has been a lack of movement.
A Townsville City Council spokesman said the stadium had been the destination for several high-profile Aussie rules and cricket fixtures and that would not change despite the lighting concerns.
The council believed there was not enough ‘content’ available for the stadium to make the infrastructure upgrade, which is understood to tally between $8-10 million, worthwhile.
“Riverway Stadium is one of the best sporting venues in Queensland with its superior playing surface and first-class facilities,” a TCC spokesman said.
“The stadium continues to attract high quality cricket and AFL matches. Next month it is scheduled to host Sheffield Shield and domestic one-day matches.
“However, the reality is that, at this stage, there simply isn’t enough content available to justify the significant price tag for the installation of this lighting and the ongoing costs.
“Council also believes that ratepayers should not have to shoulder the upfront capital cost to further upgrade the lighting at Riverway alone.”
The lighting at Riverway Stadium has been a thorn in the side of cricket and AFL in the region for more than a decade, with the upgrades first mooted in the mid-2000s.
It is understood Townsville’s proposed Sheffield Shield clash against Victoria, which is set for October 25-28, could be shifted to a later date as Cricket Australia deals with Covid complications which have affected the start of the season.
The Bulls were due to play Tasmania in their season opener in Brisbane this week but the clash was cancelled on Tuesday due to the latest outbreak in the southeast.
Queensland Cricket was contacted for comment but failed to respond in time for the Townsville Bulletin’s deadline last night.
‘KASPER’ FIRES UP OVER LIGHTING ISSUE
Australian cricket legend Michael Kasprowicz has called for the topic of substandard lighting at Riverway Stadium to return to the political agenda.
The long-running issue has been a thorn in the side of cricket in North Queensland, with the current lighting unable to meet broadcasting requirements.
As a result, Townsville is unable to host top-tier matches played into evening hours, leaving other regional centres such as Mackay and Cairns to reap the benefits.
Mackay last week got to dine on international cricket when Australia and India clashed in a women’s Twenty20 fixture.
In town this week for a Bulls Masters holiday clinic at Riverway, Kasprowicz said while Townsville’s building and Queensland Country Bank Stadium had taken centre stage, it was time for Riverway to return to the limelight.
“Let’s get lights in this thing quick,” he said.
“It’s not only for Twenty20 cricket or men’s cricket, but for women’s cricket as well.
“We’ve seen Mackay benefit so much with those games at (Mackay’s) Barrier Reef Arena.
“You have it all in place here (at Riverway), so I’d love to see it go to another level and see it being recognised as the hub for northern Queensland.”
Riverway already holds day-night matches at a local level, including the Mendi Tropical Big Bash, and various junior matches, but the level of lighting is inadequate for broadcasting standards, meaning elite level day-night matches remain elusive.
Mackay Regional Council last year brokered a three-year deal with BBL franchise Brisbane Heat which will see the club bring matches to the city during the 2021-22 seasons.
But Mackay is not the only regional city to benefit from high quality facilities, with Cairns’ Cazlays Stadium up to broadcast standard and lighting.
“When I was CEO of Queensland Cricket in 2016 there was discussion around lights for (Riverway Stadium) back then,” Kasprowicz said.
“Twenty20 was going to be in the plans; obviously things changed with new stadiums and all that.
“But I think we’ve seen the benefits of having lights, not only for first-class cricket, but also for the community.”
Kasprowicz joined fellow Bulls Masters Luke Feldman and Charlie Hemphrey for this week’s school holiday clinic, where more than 80 of the region’s most promising young cricketers were put through their paces.
The clinic ran for three days and was run under the guidance of the Queensland Bulls Masters and Queensland Cricket coaches.
“We’re keeping it really simple so that they can go away and actually self-coach,” Kasprowicz said.
“You can see them by day three fixing some issues, such as follow through, so it's not technical.
“The purpose is for them is to engage and love their cricket, and have plenty of fun.”
Originally published as Townsville City Council will not fork out to upgrade the lighting at Riverway on its own
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