Hunter Sports Centre to end Saturday morning sport washouts
Wet weather cancellations of Saturday morning sport could soon be a thing of the past as a result of a Hunter Sports Centre project designed to dramatically reduce the number of sports fields being closed due to rain.
Water efficiency experts from Hunter Water have developed a plan that changes the structure of the playing surface so that the field doesn't turn into a bog when the heavy rain hits.
To be implemented at the Hunter Sports Centre in Newcastle, the three year Hunter Water funded project will see sports fields composted, top dressed and aerated so they can continue to be played on shortly after heavy rain.
Announcing the program, NSW Minister for Finance and Services Andrew Constance explained "every parent of a sports-playing child has experienced the disappointment of a field being closed because of heavy rain, which is why this project is great news for families.
"The project will rain proof the sportsground and reduce by about 60% the amount of water required to grow the grass during the warmer months.
"For a local council, a reduced water bill could mean tens of thousands of dollars more every year to invest in sporting equipment and better facilities.
"I congratulate Hunter Water for agreeing to share the results of the program with councils and sporting clubs across Sydney. This is going to mean less ground closures, less Saturday morning sport cancellations and less frustrated mums and dads."
Hunter Sports Centre's General Manager Colin Southworth said the program could be easily adopted for other sporting fields and would mean young people are able to spend more time playing sport, adding "maintaining quality grounds is crucial in turning local athletes into sporting champions.
"Not only will we be able to keep our sports grounds open even after heavy rain but we will half our annual water bill. This means thousands of dollars more available to the Centre to spend on sporting equipment for our kids."
The results are to be shared with councils and sporting clubs across Australia.
