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Sydenham Cricket Club is on course to turn its decrepit pavilion at Sydenham Park into a major sport and community centre for south Christchurch.

A $150,000 grant from the Canterbury Community Trust this month is a big step forward on a $450,000 programme to rebuild the clubrooms, which are also used by Sydenham hockey.

They're sorely needed.

The club has a bucket brigade who rush down to put buckets out for the leaks in wet winter weather. "The roof's leaking, the toilets are terrible and the kitchen's had it!" says one member.

However, the clubrooms are going to get a much-needed transformation.

Sydenham, based at the park since 1895, is one of Christchurch's biggest cricket clubs, with 400 juniors and 120 senior players.

Add to that 400 Sydenham hockey youngsters, and it's a major facility for young south Christchurch sportspeople. However, the rebuild will also convert it into a function and conference centre for the district.

The interior will be gutted and a new foyer, changing room, storage area, showers and toilets built on the ground floor, in addition to a changing room that is being renovated at present.

At present, the clubrooms have just a small upper floor gallery.

But this will be replaced by a new lounge seating 120 people, a new commercial kitchen and bar, a boardroom/conference facility/coaching centre, and toilets. These will make the clubrooms suitable for weddings and functions.

"We are very excited about it," said building committee chairman Mike Pearcy.

"It's one of the most significant developments in this part of town for many years, and the council is right behind the project."

The council has money budgeted for other work at the park. The Community Trust grant will bring the project to a lock-up shell stage, and the cricket club hopes to raise the money or get commitments for the next stage over this winter.

When it was completed, the new pavilion would be open for wider community use, including rugby if it was interested, said Mr Pearcy.

The pavilion was opened in 1968 and cost $15,000 to build.