Lighting approved for Beban Park natural grass field

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The red shaded areas illustrates what sections of field will be illuminated by the incoming lighting, which the City states won’t interfere with other user groups, such as baseball and cricket.

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Committee members, such as City councillor Janice Perrino, praised the initiative taken by NUFC.

“This cost-sharing, it’s the answer for us, it really makes such a big difference, so I encourage other groups to get going in the same manner, and if they need any advice certainly our staff can help to guide them,” Perrino said.

A City staff report prepared for the committee outlined a lack of illuminated fields for evening practices are available that fit the needs of NUFC.

The organization is challenged by parking and storage constraints at lighted fields at Pleasant Valley Park and Departure Bay Centennial Park.

Also at play are bookings near capacity at the City’s five existing artificial turf fields.

The pending addition of LED lighting at the Beban Park natural grass fields (also known as Gyro Youth Sports Fields) will be bookable for all interested user groups, according to the City.

The level of lighting is not suitable for formal evening soccer, baseball or cricket games, noted Charlotte Davis, the City’s deputy director of parks and natural areas.

“This is about being able to expand their practice time during the winter, so that’s why we’ve decided to go this route; it would be up to ten times the cost if it were to go to game-day lighting,” Davis said.

The clubhouse (on the right) belonging to NUFC is located adjacent to the multi-use natural grass sports fields at Beban Park. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Last week, NUFC’s board of directors unanimously backed supplying up to $100,000 for the Beban Park LED lighting project.

The City’s 2026-2030 financial plan will be slightly altered to fund the incoming lights, which comes from the Strategic Infrastructure Reserve Fund.

Operational since 1996, the natural grass sports fields at Beban Park have been increasingly busy in recent years. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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