Media Release
6 April 2006

Manukau Parks Reign Supreme in Sports Fields

Manukau City Council Parks have won the Overall Winter 2005
Best Sports Field Award run by the Sports Field Forum, New Zealand Inc. and sponsored by “Turf Clean NZ “.

The bi-annual competition, open to local authorities in the Auckland Region was set up to encourage best practice in the provision of sport fields. Entrants are judged on field presentation, their use and cost.

Council won the two soil based field categories with their Ti Rakau League No.1 and Riverhills Soccer No.2 entries. The Riverhills field was judged the overall winner.

Manukau City Council’s Chief Executive Leigh Auton is delighted with the win:

“Council strives to offer easy access to recreation and sport facilities, help improve the health and wellbeing of Manukau residents and encourage Manukau people to lead a more fit and active lifestyle. Top class sports fields are a part of this.

“This win is a tribute to the expertise of our Park’s staff and recognises that Manukau is a leader in the provision of cost effective, high quality multi-use sports facilities and surfaces.

Manukau Parks have been innovators in sports turf management over the last few years. Working in partnership with Excell Corporation, they pioneered the introduction of coring and brushing in compost to improve field drainage, turf health and use, reducing the downtime required for sports field renovation. The method was later adopted by other councils in the Auckland Region and some North Island local authorities.

The award follows Manukau Parks win in 2003 in all three Soil Field categories of the competition and reinforces their expertise in presenting cost effective soil based fields. Nearly all of Manukau’s 150 winter sports fields and training areas are soil based.

The Sports Field Forum NZ Inc has 180 members throughout the country representing the different sectors involved with the presentation of outdoor playing surfaces including local authorities, schools, contractors, suppliers and consultants. This is the third time the competition has been run.

ENDS

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