Onerahi Football Club Field
The details
In February 2021, Whangarei District Council (WDC) adopted the Active Recreation and Sport Strategy. They identified the Onerahi Football Club field needed upgrades, including new drainage, an irrigation system, new turf and new lighting.
We picked up the concept in 2022 and managed the project through to delivery in 2025.
The challenge
The Onerahi Football Club sits in a unique spot, right next to Whangārei Airport. The new lighting system had to comply with International Civil Aviation rules on aircraft collision avoidance. The site fell within an airport zoning overlay and was a potential HAIL site under the National Environmental Standards for Contaminated Soil (NESCS). Technical input was required from lighting, turf irrigation and contaminated soil experts to get the design right.
The Onerahi Football Club is the second largest club in Northland and had to relocate when construction started in July 2024. The Club was keen to get back on their own turf for the 2025 season, but a weather event affected the first turf planting, meaning it had to be reset.
Our approach
We’d previously managed a lighting project at Simson Park, Moerewa, and brought that experience to Onerahi. We engaged with the Football Club and Whangārei Airport to obtain a design that met everyone’s needs and supported WDC through resource consent and contractor procurement.
We’re problem solvers who take responsibility for projects and create the momentum to get things done. When the turf failed and delays followed, we coordinated the technical experts and contractors to respond quickly, keeping the football club and WDC updated throughout.
Outcomes
Despite the setback with the first turf set, the project was still delivered in time for the 2025 football season. The Onerahi Football Club can now enjoy:
- 13 new floodlights enabling evening game time
- Turf irrigation and drainage system
- New, level, marked turf
