'Toxic mould' at Rugby Park prompts Rugby Southland shift

Tuesday, 16 April 2019

Rugby Southland has moved its offices to the corporate boxes at Rugby Park due to bad air quality and health concerns.

Rugby Southland is searching for a new office after 'toxic mould' was found at Rugby Park.

Since 2001 Rugby Southland's offices have been situated under the grandstand at the Elles Rd end of Rugby Park.

Rugby Southland general manager Brian Hopley approached Rugby Park owners, the Invercargill City Council, concerned about the quality of air flow in the offices.

He was unable to shake-off a cough and he noticed new staff were getting sick soon after they started.

Invercargill City Council chief executive Clare Hadley.

Rugby Southland general manager Brian Hopley.

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Invercargill City Council chief executive Clare Hadley was also concerned about water leaks at Rugby Park after visiting the Rugby Southland offices on February 8.

Leaks have developed in the area where the old part of the grandstand met with the re-developed area, which is the back wall of the Rugby Southland offices.

The council's building and assets manager then commissioned air flow testing.

'The testing identified what I understand may be toxic mould,' Hadley said.

Council staff entered into talks with Rugby Southland from March 26 to April 2 about possible alternative office locations. However, nothing off-site was able to be sorted at short notice.

'I met with Brian Hopley on April 2 and made it very clear that the results of the testing indicated a health and safety issue, and that, as the employer, he needed to move his staff upstairs.

'I am pleased to note they have done this quickly,' Hadley said.

'Our prime concern must always be the health and safety of our tenants, which is why we have acted promptly in this matter, and this is no longer a risk in the short term.'

Rugby Southland is now using the corporate boxes at Rugby Park as make-shift offices.

It was not an ideal working situation but the move was important for health and safety reasons, Hopley said.

Rugby Southland do need to be out of the corporate boxes by June, in time for the Highlanders' Super Rugby fixture against the New South Wales Waratahs in Invercargill.

Hopley is working with the council to try find an alternative office option in Invercargill for Southland rugby's governing body.

'We are working closely with Rugby Southland to identify options and solutions for the organisation for the medium to long term,' Hadley said.

Rugby Southland's high performance staff is already based at Stadium Southland, but Hopley said there was not the space available at the stadium to shift the rest of the staff there.

Hopley said they would look at all alternative options, although he conceded cost needed to be factor into any move.

The council took over ownership of Rugby Park in 2016 from the Southland Outdoor Stadium Trust after the trust found itself in financial difficulty.

When the council agreed to take over Rugby Park, Rugby Southland was owed $740,000 by the previous owners.

A deal was struck where Rugby Southland was provided free office rental by the council as part of the debt repayment.

Hopley said they were working with the council around what that agreement meant for a potential shift.