Crestwood Reserve is almost ready for play!

More than 190 tonnes of top soil has been added, 4,000 m2 of new turf has been laid and hours of manual labour has been performed, including soil aeration and weed and pest treatment, to get Fields One and Two at Crestwood Reserve into tip-top condition ahead of the winter sports’ season.

Aside from the freezing temperatures, winter sports can cause wear and tear on fields. To help sports grounds regain their composition, during the summer months (December through to March) Council embarks on their annual field maintenance project.

Mayor of The Hills Shire, Dr Michelle Byrne said the fields were looking healthy and strong – perfect for another year of sports.

“Crestwood Reserve is looking great,” Mayor Byrne said.

“New grass has grown, the fields are in top shape and are almost ready to use.

“I want to thank our residents and sporting teams for their patience during the field maintenance process. The break from play allows our fields to rejuvenate so they can function properly by providing firm footing for players.

“By doing this, they develop a resistance to tearing and remain resilient throughout the season, while also providing cushioning on impact,” Mayor Byrne added.

Further to the field work, Council together with Sydney Water have installed a new water station.

The water refill unit is multi-functional, serving as a bubbler and bottle refill outlet. It’s also simple to use, robust and wheelchair accessible. Council is also in the process of designing a learn-to-ride bike track for the reserve.

Crestwood is one of 58 fields receiving maintenance during the summer program.

“Our sporting fields are one of our most valuable assets here in The Hills. They are used by thousands of players each week – that’s why we are investing so much of our time to ensuring they are in a safe, healthy and durable condition ahead of the 2018 winter sports season,” Mayor Byrne added.

Over the course of four months, Council is carrying out the following upgrades across its field network:

Aeration: on 18 hectares of sporting fields – this includes using a cylindrical drum which punctures the ground with small holes so water, air and fertiliser can get down to the roots. This process also allows the distribution of soil across the field.

Weed and pest treatment: as part of renovations, around 59 hectares of sporting fields will be treated to prevent weed and pest infestation. Removing the infestation, including pests that eat the roots and kill the grass, helps new turf growth to occur.

Top dressing: about 4,410 tonnes of top dressing will be laid across our sporting fields. Top dressing involves spreading sand across the fields to fill holes and keep the field surface planar and sloping the correct way.

Oversowing: approximately 12 tonnes of rye seed covering 30 hectares of sporting fields will be sewn. Oversowing is generally started at the end of Febrary/March when the weather cools and oversewn fields need three to four weeks of rest to let the shoots grow. When the summer grass dies back the winter grass is ready to go.

Turfing: more than 8,600 m2 of turf will be laid across our sporting fields. At the end of any sports season, some high-use areas on fields, particularly near goals and the centre of the ground, may need returfing. In these cases overused areas may need to be completely dug out and replaced with new turf as a last resort.

Cricket wickets must be covered with topsoil and about 2,300 m2 of synthetic and natural turf will be laid so that winter sports can be played over the top of the cricket fields. Work is normally carried out after the cricket season.