Hockey: Lighting upgrade gets underway

ILLUMINATING: Work to improve the Tauranga Hockey Centre's lights will significantly improve the experience of both players and spectators.PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER

The second phase of the Tauranga Hockey Centre's Turf Upgrade Project has begun with the upgrading of lighting for both the port and beach turfs.

The upgrade, enabled by a grant from the Lottery Grant Board and being undertaken by Australian firm MUSCO Lighting Ltd, will almost double the current Lux levels to 500Lux on each turf.

Local firms with hockey ties - McLeod Cranes and Contract Mechanical Services - have been enlisted to assist with the work which will see 64x1.5kW lights fixed to 12 poles to boost the experience for fans and spectators alike.

Disruptions to normal turf use will be mitigated wherever possible, with the work, originally intended to be part of the initial turf upgrade, expected to be completed in January.

"The lighting project was always intended to be part of the main project, but we decided to take it out for two reasons," said Tauranga Hockey Association general manager Clyde du Toit.

"One was we were worried about the resource consent for the lighting and the second was going into the winter season we needed the lights.

"The goal for me is to make this an international hockey stadium that teams and spectators want to come to. That's always been my vision and will continue to be my vision."