Hills Shire Council considering installing artificial turf in sporting fields

THE Hills Shire Council is considering replacing sports grounds with synthetic turf as growing demand by sports clubs takes its toll.

Connor Gilbert, at Bernie Mullane Sports Complex, may be playing on synthetic turf in the near future.

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THE Hills Shire Council is considering replacing sports grounds with synthetic turf as growing demand by sports clubs takes its toll.

In a balancing act of keeping different sporting codes happy, the council will upgrade fields and complexes to keep up with a growing number of locals taking up sports.

Most fields in the Hills can only handle up to 35 hours a week of sports training and matches.

Many Hills residents are taking up sports and the council is deciding how to meet the demand.

One measure the council believes could keep up with demand, and provide an even playing field during storms and bad weather, is the artificial grass turf.

Hills Mayor Michelle Byrne said planned upgrades would complement new sporting fields due to be built over the coming years.

“Council is actively developing new sports grounds but this process takes time,” she said. “A number of new fields are all in various stages of land acquisition, planning and environmental approvals. Caddies Creek sports ground is an example of how our best efforts to fast-track new facilities have been delayed for several years by government agencies requiring ongoing reports and investigations.

“In the meantime, we are examining a range of technologies for artificial playing surfaces and, given there has been considerable advancement in this technology in recent years, we should be able to achieve good results.”

The sports fields at Bernie Mullane Sports Complex in Kellyville are expected to be first cab off the rank in the sporting upgrades.

There are different types of artificial turf for sports with some waterproof and others customised for flat-soled boots.

Hornsby councillor and former Hornsby, Ku-ring-gai and Hills District Cricket Association president Nathan Tilbury said synthetic turf could be prudent.

“Synthetic is slightly more expensive over a 10-year period but you get double or more usage of the field,” he said.

“So if you’re getting the maximum usage of the field, it could be more cost effective. Soccer is really trying to go down the synthetic path because it can get rained out and footballers and rugby players can rip the grass up when they play.”

Hornsby Council has laid artificial grass for the Pennant Hills hockey team and the junior cricket teams.

Synthetic turf is very popular with soccer players.

But Mr Tilbury said many cricket clubs were sceptical of synthetic turfs.

Concerns were raised over the artificial turf retaining heat during summer, whether it will allow a bounce during the match and whether players could receive burns from the turf after diving to catch the cricket ball.

Kellyville Cricket Club executive officer Craig McCahon was optimistic about any changes to Bernie Mullane Sports Complex.

“We can’t know until we’ve actually experienced it,” he said.

“We’re quite happy to give (the synthetic turf) a go. We don’t know whether it would cause grazes or burns to the skin until you start playing on it.

“We’ve been training (at Bernie Mullane) since it opened and it’s been fine.”