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Lloyd Elsmore Park see benefits of new Turf
05/02/2010PJ Taylor, Howick & Pakuranga Times
THOUSANDS of hockey players will benefit this year from a new surface provided by ratepayers’ financial contributions.
New artificial turf worth $350,000 has been installed this summer on the number one pitch at the Lloyd Elsmore Park Hockey Stadium, home of Auckland Hockey Association and Howick Pakuranga Hockey Club.
Both the Manukau and Auckland city councils have contributed $150,000 each through their respective long-term council community plan (LTCCP).
The same installation project, costing the same amount of $350,000, will be performed on the number two pitch next summer.
The rest of the funds is coming from contributions from community trusts such as the Perry Foundation, says Auckland Hockey Association executive manager Rob Baron.
“We’re really grateful for the support they and the city councils have given,” says Baron. “As a sport at this level, we’re not guaranteed any government funding.”
New floodlighting worth $85,000 has also been installed on the number one pitch. The turf, which is a darker shade of green than the eight-year-old surface it has just replaced, is a new quality carpet produced by Tiger Turf, of Penrose.
When the Times visited the hockey stadium last week, Auckland age-group academy teams were training on it and enjoying the smooth and consistent rub of the green.
Baron says thousands of hockey players and touch footballers are already benefiting from using the next generation in artificial turf technology.
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