All seasons’ renovation works for Cowes Recreation Reserve

CRICKET and pre-season football training will have to wait until at least the end of January in Cowes with a major rejuvenation project underway at the heavily used local recreation reserve.

At a cost of $300,000, which the Bass Coast Shire Council is funding without outside grants, the council has appointed the Evergreen Turf Group Pty Ltd to carry out extensive works, in full swing this week.

“This will include 12 weeks of turf establishment and maintenance, and is subject to favourable weather, contractor, and supplier availability,” according to the council.

Works include:

• The drainage upgrade, resurfacing and warm season grass conversion at Cowes Recreation Reserve Oval will bring the performance of this deteriorated oval to a level conducive to playing local level football and cricket. This will achieve the best outcome for the long-term performance of the oval.
• Reshaping, cultivating, compaction and earthworks to allow better rainfall runoff from oval surface.
• Reinstatement of the existing irrigation including renewal of the subsurface drainage.
• Supply and installation of concrete synthetic cricket pitch.
• Turf sprigging works including turf maintenance works.
• The recreation oval will be closed to the public during the construction and turf maintenance period.
• Appropriate traffic and pedestrian control measures have been implemented onsite which is now a construction zone.

“We appreciate that for your own safety and others that access will not be available to the public. A temporary perimeter fence will be installed to stop public access to the construction site.

“The project will involve the use of heavy plant and machinery including noisy, and vibration works for construction including use of trucks for removal or delivery of materials.

“This project represents another investment in sport and recreation facilities in Cowes and will significantly improve the condition of the recreation.”