An internationally accredited hockey field in Darebin has been given a major restoration and upgrade as part of the Sustainable Victoria’s (SV) Sustainable Infrastructure Fund.
According to SV the KP Hardiman Hockey Field, which is home to La Trobe University Hockey Club, was restored using 98 per cent reclaimed tyres for the shock pad layer under the field along with additional recycled components.
SV said additional recycled components included a layer of the field constructed from recycled brick and concrete; glass as conduct bedding in trenches; pathways around the field built from recycled soft plastic as concrete aggregate additive; and bench seating made from recycled hard plastics.
It said the field would see hundreds of junior, senior and masters players train and compete in Hockey Victoria competitions.
Sustainability Victoria said the field had set new benchmarks for recycling existing infrastructured predominantly using products with a high recycled material content.
It said that as part of the demolition process, the existing shock pads and synthetic grass were reused at local schools and golf courses to reduce the amount of waste which would otherwise go to landfill.
Mayor of Darebin, Lina Messina said the project’s success and the feedback received from contractors who used the products, had significantly improved confidence in using higher percentages of recycled products in capital assets and infrastructure projects.
“We hope this project will become an inspiration for individuals, businesses and organisations across Victoria to take up the use of recycled materials and these exciting new technologies,” Councillor Messina said.
“Recycled materials are no longer a novelty,” she said.
“Their use will and must become a priority for how we design and build for our future.”
