Ensuring Successful Sports Turf Specifications Words By Matt Roche, Director Australian Sports Turf Consultants (ASTC)
BCC Moggill District Sports Complex Whether it be a community sports field or elite playing surface, the expectations of our natural turf sports fields have never been higher. Helping to achieve a superior surface starts at the design phase and writing definitive sports turf technical specifications. Australian Sports Turf Consultants (ASTC) has been engaged by stadium venues, Councils, and community sporting clubs to provide design and sports field technical specifications for the construction or redevelopment of sports fields. In recent years, the demand has significantly increased with access to sport and recreation grants and Councils’ desire
to repurpose tired sporting fields and maximize the use of existing sports fields and parkland. Over the last decade ASTC has come across some interesting sports field “specifications” where the requirements for the subgrade, growing medium, turfing and consolidation have been written on a maximum 1 to 2 pages. This is fraught with danger as it not only leaves the methodology up to interpretation but can leave a very grey area when things do not go to plan. It is important to determine the clients’ expectations early on to ensure that a sports field is appropriately constructed and is fit-for-purpose.
ASTC specializes in writing specifications for the subgrade, subsoil drainage, growing medium, turfing and consolidation. ASTC calls upon their nominated independent irrigation consultants to assist with irrigation designs and specifications. These days a number of Council’s are also requesting that a 12-month sports turf maintenance program be developed and included with the construction of new sporting fields. This is to ensure a high standard is maintained after the conclusion of the 8- to 12-week consolidation period post turfing. It is important that Witness Points and Hold Points be clearly listed within the sports field technical specifications. This also
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