Derek Kilbourn
Sounder News
Glen Murphy, a coach and technical advisor with the Gabriola Soccer Association (GSA), made a presentation to the Board of the Nanaimo-Ladysmith Public Schools this past week.
Murphy had requested to make the presentation to address the continuing issues he says the Association has with scheduling practices and games on the Gabriola Elementary School (GES) field. Murphy stated he was speaking on behalf of the GSA, to address the need for the School District to continue to invest in maintaining the field.
As Murphy explained, the GSA has been using the GES field since the mid-1990s. For the majority of those years, he said, the GSA has had unrestricted access to the school field and gym, when those facilities were not booked by other groups. There are, said Murphy, approximately 70 youth in the soccer programs run by the GSA. “This sport plays a vital role in our community. Especially as there are few organized sports for youth on Gabriola. “Soccer has helped to reduce the amount of unsupervised free time for our youth, offering healthy structured activities that keep them engaged both on and off the island.”
He noted that in 2002, the Gabriola Recreation Society had provided $40,000 to match an equal amount being put up by the School District – these monies were used to install an underground sprinkler system in the GES field.
“Constantly, we had a lovely field for the last 20 years.”
However, problems began in 2022, when the sprinkler system broke, and went unrepaired through the summer. Murphy said, “this lack of maintenance caused significant damage to the field, this resulted in the field being closed to community use for eight months.”
The District reseeded and top dressed the field, and the sprinkler system was repaired. Murphy said when the field was reopened to GSA use in September 2023, new restrictions were in place from previous years, allowing for only two practice days a week, and one day for games.
“This was a difficult, but not impossible arrangement for a group of 70 kids.”
In December of 2023, said Murphy, “halfway through our season, we were informed the field would be closed again until April. We still [had] another half of the season to go, and…no field to play on.
“And in reality, the field, stayed closed until September 2024.”
Again, the restrictions are that teams can only practice two days a week, with one day for games on the weekend. Murphy explained this year, there are two leagues with Gabriola teams.
As Murphy pointed out, the uncertainty of the Gabriola field means the leagues scheduling games have to work with fields that are confirmed to be open.
With the uncertainty of the Gabriola field, all the ‘home’ games for the Gabriola teams are being scheduled in Nanaimo.
Only one team – which plays games on Sundays – is playing home games on the Gabriola field.
For perspective, this means at minimum three teams from Gabriola are travelling to Nanaimo every weekend, instead of alternating between Gabriola and other locations on Vancouver Island.
Murphy said the hardest part is that once again, the field could be closed from December until April.
Mark Walsh, Secretary-Treasurer for the District confirmed that the plan is currently to close the Gabriola field for December 2024 to April 2025.
Murphy said the GSA and the greater Gabriola community are willing to assist in maintaining the field and managing bookings responsibly alongside the school’s activities.
“Our community’s goal is to work collaboratively to ensure the field remains in good condition while providing adequate access for our school soccer programs and other community activities.”
He said that there is a community concern for the field.
“[Gabriola] decided to invest the $40K in the school field for the benefit of the Soccer Association and the children at the school.
“When the weather conditions are poor, we cancel games. We were the ones who offered to stop practicing on the fields.
“We said the field looks rough, we will stop practicing on it. When it was getting too worn down. We are with you, we want the field to be good.
“We’re not going to play when it looks like it is going to damage the field.”
Murphy pointed that Gabriola does not have the same resources as other communities when it comes to field infrastructure.
“At this time, we cannot be certain whether we have a field to play on or not.
“We’re seeking a constructive dialogue on how we can move forward that meets the needs of the school, and the broader Gabriola community.”
Murphy said the GSA is aware of the ongoing discussions with the Regional District of Nanaimo about sharing field management.
But – he said – while those discussions are ongoing, it is, “crucial our field needs be met in the meantime.
“Unlike communities like Nanaimo, where youth soccer players have access to multiple fields, Gabriola only has one viable option.
“Our small island community deserves equitable access to well maintained facilities.
“It directly effects the health and wellbeing of our youth.”
Murphy said his belief is that given the growing demand for soccer and other recreational activities, the community deserves access to, “at least five fields in good standing, to match the level of access enjoyed by other areas of our community.”
He said this kind of access is part of a longer-term dream which includes a multi-use facility for the island.
“Those are great dreams. Right now, the only facility we have is the school field, and that is what is keeping us going.
“Right now, we really need your help.
“We urge the Board to recognize the importance of these issues, and to enter into dialogue with the Gabriola community. Our aim is to find mutually beneficial solutions.
“We look forward to the response and to working together on a path forward.”
Trustee Mark Robinson put forward a motion calling on staff to prepare a report on the current conditions of the Gabriola field, detailing the state of the field, and identifying areas that requiring attention.
He asked that report be prepared for the next Business Committee meeting, scheduled for October 9.
Trustees asked if that meeting would be soon enough for a decision, given the urgency that the Gabriola community is looking for answers regarding the field status come winter,
Walsh said from his knowledge of the state of the field, is it is true that staff, “would be contemplating closure the same way that we did last year over the winter season.”
He noted that while the Association does not have as much access as they want to the field, “they are good until the business committee.
“If the report came at that time and some kind of action was taken to make a change, I would suggest there is sufficient time to make that change.”
The business committee will meet on October 9, at 6pm. These meetings are held online, and are viewable on the District website at www.sd68.bc.ca utilizing Teams.
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