Recent downpours shows pooling of water on centrepiece of $11 million redevelopment and outside ground

Warrnambool City Council is in the process of assessing drainage concerns at Albert Park.

Last week there were concerns about drainage on the centre wicket area of the $11 million redeveloped Reid Oval and the eastern wing after a downpour on Tuesday.

This week City Memorial Bowls Club general manager Julie Dosser said there was also a drainage issue outside the ground, between the Warrnambool football club kitchen and the hockey club office, behind the bowls club function room.

That led to flooding of a road and car parks.

Bowlers had to remove their shoes and sock to get to their cars and water had made its way into the floor of two cars during downpours.

On Thursday morning a council spokesman said the council was aware of drainage issues.

"Across Warrnambool there are several locations where minor flooding will occur during intense rainfall events," he said.

"Council is working through a list of priority works to rectify some flooding in the municipality to reduce the risk of property damage.

"Council will investigate this drainage issue (City Memorial) to see if any preventative work can be undertaken.

"It is unrelated to the redevelopment of Reid Oval," he said.

Wednesday, 8am:

Drainage complaints in and around the $11 million redeveloped Reid Oval continue to flood in.

Last week images showed water pooling on the centre wicket square and eastern wing after just 10mm of rain on Tuesday afternoon.

This week City Memorial Bowls Club general manager Julie Dosser said there was also a drainage issue outside the ground, between the Warrnambool football club kitchen and the hockey club office, behind the bowls club function room.

"This is a major problem especially if cars are already parked there and we do get a downpour of rain," she said on Wednesday.

Ms Dosser said that on occasions bowlers have had to remove their shoes to get into their cars and two members had found water in the floor of their cars.

She said she had been in contact with the Warrnambool City Council, submitting photos on a number of occasions.

"They tell me there is nothing that can be done when we get a large downpour and that it will get away quickly," she said.

"This is not happening, it sits for quite a while. And unfortunately if people are in the middle of a bowls game they are unable to run out to move their car when it rains."

Ms Dosser forwarded an image of flooding after recent rain.

Car parks on the right of that image were seen to be inundated with water on Tuesday evening last week.

Sunday, 11.30am:

Cricket was called off at Warrnambool $11 million redeveloped Reid Oval on Saturday after water got on the turf wicket through new covers.

Cricket officials said new covers, which encompass the entire centre square were fitted, but leaked and a large patch on the pitch was saturated, making play impossible.

Those covers have only been used a couple of times.

"If that patch was anywhere else on the centre square play would have gone on, but it was in the middle of the pitch, towards the southern end. You could push you're finger into the wicket," an official, who did not want to be named, said.

The division one game between Nestles and Wesley/Yambuk was declared a draw.

Four of the five scheduled games in division one were called off due to wet wickets and unsafe wicket surrounds.

When the game at Jetty Flat between Russells Creek and North Warrnambool Eels was abandoned, that guaranteed the Eels four spot on the ladder and meant Nestles had no chance of pushing into a finals spot.

In the only game that was contested, ladder leader and red-hot flag favourite Merrivale had a convincing win against Allansford/Panmure at Allansford.

Division one finals start next Saturday with Merrivale clashing with North Warrnambool and Creek taking on Wesley.

Drainage issues at Reid Oval were again highlighted on Friday evening.

The car park outside the ground, between the Warrnambool football club kitchen and the hockey ground office, at the rear of the City Memorial function room, was again inundated after rain Friday.

That car park has been flooded twice in recent days with large amounts of water gathering on the road and blocking access to car parks.

Comment has been sought from the Warrnambool City Council.

Friday: Questions have been asked about potential drainage issues at the $11 million Reid Oval redevelopment after a rain downpour on Tuesday afternoon.

An image obtained by The Standard clearly shows pooling of water on the centre wicket square and the eastern wing.

The image was taken about 5.30pm on Tuesday.

The Bureau of Meteorology said Warrnambool recorded 10mm of rain on Tuesday afternoon between 2.30pm and 5.30pm.

A Warrnambool City Council spokesman responded to questions about the drainage saying the council was pleased to see water drain quickly from Reid Oval after the downpour on Tuesday afternoon.

The council provided a picture of the Reid Oval stamped 9.25am Thursday showing no surface water and the roller and a tractor on the centre of the ground.

There were also questions about drainage outside the ground.

There was a large pool of water measuring about 35 metres between the Warrnambool Football Club kitchen to almost the hockey ground office at the rear of the City Memorial function room, covering the road and car parks.

The Warrnambool and District Cricket Association has not scheduled finals at Reid Oval, with finals scheduled from Saturday.

In early January The Standard posed a series of questions to the Warrnambool City Council about the turf pitch square at Reid Oval.

They included: Has the Reid Oval new centre square sunk ? Why does water pool in the middle of the centre square? Is repair work being undertaken?

Reid Oval project control group chair Cr Debbie Arnott said at that time the wicket was in superb condition, and ready for cricket.

"There are no problems with water pooling on the wicket table," she said.

There have been issues raised by observers during the construction phase, including that the centre wicket had sunk or settled and water was pooling on the square during watering and rain.

Other wickets with similar problems have been banned from hosting finals by the WDCA in the past as drainage is crucial for wickets to be prepared for play.

It's understood the Reid Oval curator is currently working to build up the grass cover on the pitch square to protect it during the football season.

After football finals it's expected more maintenance works will be undertaken at Reid Oval to build up the square and improve drainage.

In expanding on her response back in early January, Cr Arnott said as part of annual spring works and maintenance schedule, a number of routine tasks were undertaken at Reid Oval, one of which was minor levelling of the wicket.

"In this instance, two slightly low spots on the wicket, each spot about one metre square, were levelled," she said.

"Other routine tasks include spraying of broadleaf weeds and common pests, scarifying the grass, aerating the outfield, fertilising the wicket and outfield as well as dusting the outfield.

"Dusting the outfield is essentially topdressing but on a lighter scale. We evenly distribute 3-5mm of top dressing sand to take out any imperfections.

"Minor levelling of the wicket table is a very similar process to dusting but we use clay to take out the imperfections and use different machinery and tools.

"Council staff have undergone extensive specialist training, spanning years, in readiness for the new Reid Oval.

"This high level of training will help them care for and maintain a facility of regional significance like Reid, as well as use their expertise at other sports grounds in the municipality."

IN OTHER NEWS:

Listen to our new series The Folkie Podcast, only on Spotify.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:

Now just one tap with our new app: Digital subscribers now have the convenience of faster news, right at your fingertips with The Standard: