The Land Proposal:
An 18 acre parcel of land was located on Southeast Austin bounded roughly by St Elmo road to the North, Nuckols Crossing road to the East and Button Bend to the South. The parcel is actually the combination of 3 adjacent properties. One of these properties includes a house which is currently unoccupied. There is ample room for 2 regulation playing pitches, clubhouse, parking, and a playscape. There are approximately 4 acres along a creek with mature trees and possibly a spring. The purchase price for all three parcels is $400,000. The deal was pitched to the Foundation and we voted to pursue it.
On March 29, 2006 the Foundation placed earnest money and option period money down on the property. The option period is 270 days and the clock started ticking on 4/10/06. We have until January 4, 2007 to complete surveys, studies and raise enough money to close the deal.
By the January date we will need to raise $200,000 which includes $100,000 for a down payment, assuming we can finance the remaining $300,000. The remainder is for surveys, feasibility and city zoning studies. The budget for the entire project at completion will approach $1 million.
Burnet Middle School sports fields improvements :
This included lighting two playing and practice fields, installing an irrigation system and leveling and seeding grass on the fields.
In 2003 the Rugby Foundation and the Huns RFC were honored with a Partners in Education award nomination from the Austin Independent School District for their work and dollars improving the playing fields at Burnet Middle School.
This temporary home for the Huns RFC allowed them to host the USA Girls rugby under-19 elite camps in 2002, 2003, and 2004.
The Huns RFC developed and managed youth rugby programs on the new fields and brought the programs together with major donors (Viking Fence, Red Rhino Sports).
The improved fields have aided the school’s sports programs and have been highly utilized by the local soccer association.
The improvements also gave the Huns practice fields which helped them win 2 Texas Rugby Union championships, place in the Western states competition and place twice in the Round of 16 level of national competition.
