Most ACT Government irrigated turf sportsgrounds will close from Monday 18 March for a two-week maintenance period to prepare for the winter sport season.
“The traditional sportsground maintenance period is carried out twice yearly at the beginning and end of the summer sport season,” Yvette Berry, ACT Minister for Sport and Recreation, said.
“Work will involve top dressing fields by spreading a new layer of sand and soil, upgrades to turf, installing goal posts and line marking.”
Sportsgrounds that are closed for maintenance work will re-open on Easter Monday, 1 April.
“During the bi-annual maintenance period, some ovals will remain open to allow teams to continue training activity ahead of the the start of the winter season.
“Last season, this approach was used for the first time, and the ACT Government received positive feedback from sporting peak bodies. We will again use this approach with a total of 21 ovals remaining open whilst other grounds receive maintenance work.”
The 21 fields that will remain open during this two-week period are:
- Banks (one field)
- Holt (two fields)
- Bonner (two fields)
- Narrabundah (two fields)
- Duffy (one field)
- O’Connor (two fields)
- Gungahlin Enclosed Oval (one field)
- Scullin (three fields)
- Greenway Oval (one field)
- Yarralumla (one field)
- Griffith (two fields)
- Woden Park (one field)
- Hackett (two fields)
They will have maintenance undertaken at a later date when impact to sport is minimal.
“As well as the usual winter sports such as football, rugby league and Australian Rules, some other sports will have the opportunity to use ovals that remain open,” Ms Berry said. “Bookings have been received for Canberra Quadball (formerly ANU Quidditch), two Ultimate Frisbee groups who are training for the National Championships, as well as Capital Football who are preparing for the Football Australia knockout cup.”
