Soccer players will have extra time to play and train when Partridge Recreation Reserve's grass pitch is converted into a FIFA-accredited synthetic surface.
The City of Whittlesea awarded a contract for the project at its Council Meeting on Tuesday 21 May 2024.
Partridge Recreation Reserve is home to the Mill Park Soccer Club, which has more than 300 active members.
The project will see the existing grass playing surface on the eastern pitch replaced with a synthetic pitch, doubling usage from 20 hours a week to more than 40 hours a week. This will benefit not only the soccer community, but also give greater opportunity for nearby residents, community groups and other sports to use the facilities.
City of Whittlesea Chair Administrator Lydia Wilson said the upgrade would help cater for the growing demand for sporting facilities in the municipality.
"We know that we have one of the highest participation rates for soccer in the state, and this new synthetic pitch will actively encourage even more people to get involved, including more women and girls," Lydia said.
"We're proud to continue to invest in the infrastructure needed to support our community to stay active and healthy."
The project will boast a range of sustainability measures, including energy-efficient LED lighting, Councils' first synthetic pitch with an organic infill product, as well as the installation of a 25mm thick rubber shockpad underlay that is estimated to divert approximately 75 tonnes of plastic waste and 70 tonnes of rubber waste from landfill.
Work on the $2.3 million project is expected to begin in September 2024 and be completed in early 2025.
