EDEN PARK - Auckland (New Zealand)

Eden Park is recognized as New Zealand’s premier stadium, hosting many international rugby union and cricket fixtures. The old playing surface had come under much criticism for its poor drainage. In 2002 the Eden Park Board of Control undertook a worldwide tour of Stadia to determine the best turf and field system for Eden Park. They decided upon HG Turf’s Motz Stabilised Turf and High Performance Gravity (HPG) field system. The Board appointed HG Turf as head contractor for the project, after witnessing HG Turf’s success and experience in the Australian stadium market.

A team from HG Turf spent two months in Auckland. The old field was excavated, a new drainage and irrigation system was installed, and a new sand profile was built ready for the Motz Stabilised Turf to be laid. The Motz Stabilised Turf was planted in a local nursery six months prior to the reconstruction, matured, and then harvested and laid in preparation for the first event within two weeks.

Again the window for completing the works was tight, scheduled between cricket and rugby union, with the Auckland weather providing its own challenges.

VARIOUS STAGES OF THE EDEN PARK PROJECT

1 - Excavate Old Field 4,000 cubic metres including 200 cubic metres of basalt rock.	2 - Prepare New Subgrade Bulk earth removal & subgrade trimming.	3 - Trenching Rocksaw trench lines through basalt rock - 2,903m.
4 - Drainage Pipe Line trenches with geo textile and install drainage pipe.	5 - Place Gravel Install 75mm gravel blanket over drain pipe.	6 - Laser Gravel Laser level gravel blanket to design tolerance.
7 - Irrigation Setout Layout of irrigation system, prior to dropping system onto subgrade.	8 - Irrigation Assembly Irrigation head and valve assembly, utilising Rainbird decoder system enabling individual head control via PC.	9 - Place Sand Install 4,650 cubic metres of root zone sand to a depth of 300mm.
10 - Laser Sand Laser level root zone sand to design slope 1% and tolerance.	11 - Temporary Seating Place temporary seating prior to turf installation.	12 - Lay Motz Stabilised Turf Rugby Field 9,600 square metres.
13 - Lay Washed Turf 5,000sqm surrounding Motz Stabilised Turf.	14 - Project Completion In total 2 months.