Latest news with #SouthernFootball
Otago Daily Times
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Comments on homeless people spark feud
A Dunedin sports leader has hit back after a former mayor accused him of "punching down" against the city's homeless. Former Dunedin mayor and Otago Housing Alliance leader Aaron Hawkins made the accusations after Southern Football chief executive Dougal McGowan told the Otago Daily Times action was needed to address homeless people camping at the Oval. Mr McGowan said he and a group of people from Southern Football went to the Oval every weekend to clean up the grounds and the changing rooms before children arrived to play sports. The group picked up a variety of rubbish, including soiled clothing, needles and broken glass. In a Facebook response yesterday, Mr Hawkins said he was embarrassed at the comments. "As a fee paying member of its junior leagues, it's embarrassing to see Southern Football's leadership continue to punch down on our city's homeless whānau," he said. "If there were simple solutions we'd already have implemented them by now. "We now have a co-ordinated approach among local agencies, which is critical to getting a better understanding of the issue." Mr McGowan said "clearly" his comments were not an attack on Dunedin's homeless people, who were camped in a "river of water" during Saturday's rain. "We're just there trying to support those people ... all we're interested in [is] that they're safe, that our families are safe," he said. "This is not a beat up on those people because those people are the victims in this. The Dunedin Night Shelter did "amazing" work; it was institutions like the city, government and local MPs which had let down those living at the Oval, he said. "We can see by the comments from those in positions of power that they started blaming each other again and again, rather than doing something." "The issue has been going on for two years down there, but longer for the city. "Aaron is just another example of a politician getting sound-bites without producing results but blaming others." Mr Hawkins and any city leaders were welcome to join in collecting rubbish at the Oval on Saturday mornings, he said. When approached by the ODT, Mr Hawkins said it was frustrating seeing community leaders talk about "homeless whānau as an inconvenience to be gotten rid of". "It's not clear what Mr McGowan thinks the solution is. What does he want to happen? Have people trespassed from public grounds?" Southern Football were welcome to join Otago Housing Alliance — a collective impact network to help address critical housing needs, Mr Hawkins said. "I've already invited Dougal to attend the next of our regular hui."
Otago Daily Times
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Logan Park turf wins Fifa award
The all-weather Logan Park turf has scored with Fifa, securing major international recognition. New Zealand Football and Southern Football have earned a silver award at the inaugural Fifa Forward Awards for member associations in Oceania in recognition of the work done to establish the facilities . Southern Football chief executive Dougal McGowan said it was an incredible honour for all the work done over the years. The turf was initially opened in 2019, but the idea to upgrade the turf was spoken about in 2012, Mr McGowan said. "There was the Fifa Forward money available for the project, which provided the base funding that allowed others to jump on board and support us." The project team eventually raised about $3 million. "That's without the calculation of people's time and energy and boards and stuff like that. "So it was a really big project, but one that involved large numbers of the community, the university, the polytech funders, other sports codes. "It was really an example of how partnership can make things happen for the community." The development delivered two all-weather artificial football pitches and a cricket wicket. The initial plan was for one football pitch, but the project expanded to two as consultation and development progressed, Mr McGowan said. "The hurdles are always about trying to make sure that people understand what's happening in a timely fashion and to see the benefits of that. "But I think right now the benefits are very plain to see for everyone — it's a massively used facility. "It's used most of the day all year round, and it has a variety of uses, both community and sports. So it's a fantastic venue and one which the city and the sporting community should be proud of." The introduction of the turfs increased accessibility to sport across a far wider range. "We all saw it over the weekend, when we had that astonishing downpour of rain — people were still able to use the artificial turfs and participate in sports. "These turfs are expensive, but what they give back to the community is amazing." New Zealand Football chief executive Andrew Pragnell congratulated Southern Football on its achievement, hard work and long-term vision to support the game in Dunedin. "Access to top-class facilities is a challenge across the game in Aotearoa, so it's important to recognise when progress is made, and that's exactly what Fifa has done with this award."
