Sports field closures

The City aims to create more opportunities for juniors to stay active and play sport during extended periods of wet weather where possible. Please refer to the City's Sports Field Closure Policy for further information.

The City has an annual renovation and maintenance program for sports fields and facilities, to ensure the fields are in a safe and useable playing condition. This usually occurs between September and December as this is the ideal growing period.

The type of renovation work undertaken on sports fields can include:

• Coring – mechanical removal of soil core, which is then dragged back across the surface and broken up to top dress the surface. This decompacts and aerates the field.
• Scarification – mechanical thatch removal via a mower with vertical blades. Thins the turf surface and removes old grass. Completed in single or double directions, dependent on conditions and timeframes.
• Topdressing – application of soil or sand to alleviate undulations and unevenness of the surface.
• Recycling top dresser – pulls soil up from 200 millimetres down in the surface profile and spreads it evenly across the surface behind the machine.
• Verti draining – punches holes, via a multiple solid tine aerator, deep into the surface and decompacts the profile as it is removed. Relieves compaction, allowing air, water and fertiliser to disperse into the soil.
• Resurface – use existing levels and soil conditions. Remove existing turf and re-lay with new turf variety.
• Rebuild – Using a rotary hoe, amend soil conditions and reshape surface via laser machinery to provide a more consistent, well-drained playing surface.
• Amendment Program – material to improve the soil and decrease nutritional deficiencies. Applied before renovations commence as most renovation work involves the profile.