The turf field at Twin Pines used by many Hopewell Valley residents is getting replaced! The old field was installed in 2009, and was expected to last 8 years. It served the Valley heroically for 14 years! Now it’s time for a new and improved field.
If you have driven by, you saw that the old field has already been removed. The new one is scheduled to begin installation in early January. The installation should take about three weeks, weather permitting.
“We are so excited to have a new field at Twin Pines,” said Director of Parks and Recreation Karin Poveromo. “And we’re thrilled we can have it ready when the spring season starts.”
This field is huge- 126,760 square feet, about twice the size of an average field. It will be multi-purpose, lined for a variety of sports by using different colors. There will be 2 sizes of soccer fields, men’s, women’s, and unified lacrosse, and field hockey. To the average person, it will look very busy, but players very quickly learn to follow the color of their sport.
The turf being installed at Twin Pines Park is top-of-the-line, the same as what is used at MetLife Stadium. The Jets, Giants, all of Major League Soccer, and many Major League Baseball teams play on the same type of turf field. Rutgers has 10 of them. It employs a new technology that reduces the temperature on the field by approximately 35⁰.
There are three layers to the turf field. First, sand is spread on a freshly-graded base. The second layer is mixed rubber and sand. And the top layer is the “Cool Play,” which is a mineral-based composite. The rubber in the center layer is recycled, and they are using 8 pounds per square foot of the old field in this part of the new field. More than a million pounds of material will be kept out of the landfill!
What really matters are the athletes who will be using the field. “An installation in the winter is ideal for spring sports because it allows for the weather to help settle the field,” says Perry DiPiazza of FieldTurf USA, the manufacturer. “Our original FieldTurf installation served its purpose well. FieldTurf prides itself on its system’s safety and performance. Thank you to the Township for our long-standing relationship and this new opportunity to continue to serve the Township and its residents.”
"All of us on the Township Committee are excited about the work on the turf field. The turf replacement will ensure the field is kept in top shape for years to come," added Hopewell Township Mayor Michael Ruger.
Hopewell Township received a grant from the state of New Jersey for $73,000 toward the improvement of the artificial turf field at Twin Pines Park, which was in disrepair after 14 years of use and many years of patches. The new field is expected to have a similar lifespan.
To learn more about “CoolPlay” technology, read the brochure here.
Photos below courtesy of Mike Chipowsky
