Maningrida oval upgrades to commence

The Maningrida oval will undergo an upgrade and staged redevelopment thanks to funding and support from the Maningrida Local Authority and the Northern Territory Government.
It is well-known that the Maningrida community has a passion for AFL football, with a great number of teams participating in the local competition as well as teams playing in various festivals and carnivals around Arnhem Land.
In an effort to continue to foster a vibrant culture around sport in the community, West Arnhem Regional Council will carry out the upgrade which will consist of the construction of four new light towers and irrigation works - resulting in longer usage each day and green grass on the oval for 12 months of the year. Stage 1 construction is due to commence in September with the light tower foundations and irrigation works, and the actual light tower installation expected in November.
While these works will directly support the local teams  in the Maningrida Football   League, they will also provide new opportunities to grow and develop the current teams as well as create new ones. 
This includes men and women football teams as well as school and junior football.
With the new lighting allowing night games, this project will also benefit the wider community and will also encourage more people to take part in sport and recreation activities. 
The light towers will be fitted with control mechanisms to optimise visibility for club competitions, and official and spectator viewing. 
The lights themselves are 1500W LED floodlights which will save energy, reduce running costs and improve overall illumination. 
The contract for light tower and irrigation installations was awarded to a Darwin based company  DEC Pty Ltd. DEC will engage local businesses for the installation of the irrigation system and associated works, including personnel from the local community to assist with onsite day to day operations. They will also be mobilising several plant and machinery to carry out the works and will engage with the Maningrida community by offering their services to local organisations for works which may require specialised tools and equipment to complete.
It is hoped these upgrades will be greatly received by the community.