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Parr’s Park Redevelopment Break-Ins

Peter Goodburn, Manager of the Oratia Football Club, is proud of the new floodlit football pitch at Parr’s Park. Not only does it provide a world class playing facility, costing over $2 million dollars, but the other pitches are also having a make-over, courtesy of the Council, with a gradual switch-over to rugged couch-grass, and brand new drainage.

The club, part of the Northern Football Federation, has 680 junior members, and 220 seniors. Peter is especially enthusiastic about girl’s football and the club has a strong pro-active policy.

With so much going on, it seems the club may well currently be a victim of its own success, with five break-ins this year, three of them within one week in April.

The thieves, looking to clean out the licensed bar, were disappointed as alcohol is no longer kept on the premises, but the 2.00am call-outs go along with a hefty breakages bill; only one of the break-ins can be claimed for and there’s a $5,000 excess on that.

That one week alone is likely to cost the club upwards of $6000. Putting grills on the windows would be more than $20,000.

“We don’t make any money out of football.” said Peter, “our target is to break even. Half our fees go to the federations, for administering the game, the rest has to pay for kit, equipment, coaching, and running the club.”

“It’s really hurting us at the moment”, said Peter, but he added “the police have been down with forensics and we’re pretty certain its the same crowd, and the police now reckon they’ve got a line of enquiry..we’re confident that we’ll get them.”

Angel Garden