Redland Rugby Union gets cooler with shade shelters by main field

The club has built the shelters with help of Redland City Council and a councillor grant as the Mudcrabs prepare to expand the club ahead of the Rugby World Cup in 2027.

Club President Mike King said Mayor Karen Williams promised the shade shelters and division eight Councillor Tracey Huges made the benches happen.

"With Tracey Huges' grant we were able to purchase four benches, two for each of the shelters," he said.

"They are for the players and managers of the home and away teams facing onto John Lloyd field."

The two shelters cost approximately $30,000 and were funded by Redland City Council's Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Recovery Program.

Mr King said the additional benches cost $4700 in total, with $2800 funded through the Mayor and Councillor Community Benefits Fund.

He said the club planned to install another two shelters on the lower fields in future which would save time and be a major convenience for teams and match organisers.

"We would have to put marquees up every morning, but now we don't have to do that," Mr King said.

"It's just going to save a lot of time and effort in putting it up and packing it away again and again."

Mr King said the shelters would be reused and relocated when planned field upgrades happened in the coming years.

"This will complete the fields for the next couple of years while they do the renovations, and because they are all bolted we can just use them again," he said.

Cr Huges said she was happy to support the club to build the structures which had been a long time coming.

"The new shelter and seating at our Muddies Rugby Union Club has been sought after for a very long time and it has been exciting to see what seems like such a small addition to the fields come to life, because it will have such a big impact," she said.

"Having seating for players and coaching staff during a game will enable teams to be more comfortable and cohesive as they come together to support from the sidelines and strategise during the play."