Article code: 42-082
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PanStadia International Quarterly Report: Volume 4 No 2, April 1997.

[TURF PROTECTION]


FORMULA ONE PROTECTION


The Australian Grand Prix is
a huge event which places
huge strains on the local
turf. It was a problem
last year - but not
this year.



Left top: The Albert Park setting in Melbourne is probably the best of the Grand Prix circuits in the world. The Qantas Australian Grand Prix was previously held in Adelaide but it was moved to Melbourne last year to take advantage of the fantastic new circuit built around the lake in Albert Park.

Albert Park is only used for motor racing one week of the year - Grand Prix week. The circuit is a normal park road for the rest of the year when the whole area is devoted to recreation. Local teams and clubs use the football pitches, cricket pitches, rugby pitches there and this is the problem. The clubs lose the use of their facilities for three weeks prior and two weeks after the Grand Prix. Their agreement with the Grand Prix Board is that these areas must be usable immediately after this period.

Last year some of the pitches were not playable two months after the Grand Prix never mind two weeks afterwards. This was caused by around 400,000 people walking all over them without any pitch protection. The whole problem became very political and it fuelled the fires of those who oppose the Grand Prix for environmental reasons.

The park is administered by what was then called Melbourne Parks & Waterways but has now changed to Parks Victoria. They had to find a solution as they could not have a repeat of the problem this year. This is when MP&W management contacted Terraplas for help through their Australian agents Carty Industries of Sydney.

Robert Else, chairman of Terraplas Plc went to Melbourne with Steve Tingley, the technical director of a Terraplas subsidiary company. They looked at the problem to see what could be done to prevent it reoccurring.

Left centre: The total turf area was assessed into three different categories. The first category was the very high quality pitches that needed total protection. The majority of these are used for exhibition marquees and consequently are covered with tentage for nearly four weeks.

Left bottom: The second category was the area for the Number Two Paddock which needed a pit for each car and a roadway for the racing cars to get from the pit area to the track. The third category was the area where the F1 and hospitality trucks were parked and subject to very heavy truck usage.
The Terraplas team recommended the use of the 'Terraplas Turf Protection System' for the first two categories and 'Terratrak' Temporary Roadways for the third category. MP&W investigated and tested a number of other products but in the end realised there was only one product that would do the job. The decision was then taken to invest well over $500,000 in Terraplas to protect their recreational assets.
They did not purchase any Terratrak as they did not have the budget to do so. However, they will be able to hire the product next year as 'Australasian Event Services' has purchased a stock for rental in Australia.

Right top: Parks Victoria now has a stock of Terraplas which it will not require until the Grand Prix next year and so it is available for rent. They have now put out an application for expression of interest for the commercial management of their Terraplas Turf Protection System and it is envisaged that the successful company will be announced in June.

Right above centre: The use of Terraplas in the marquee areas was a resounding success. Not only did it totally protect the grass for periods up to four weeks it formed a safe and user friendly flooring for the exhibition marquees.
The area for the 'Number Two Paddock' was particularly well received by the teams who had a good, solid, clean working environment. If it had rained, it would have been a mud bath without Terraplas.

Right below centre: Once the teams had left and the marquees were removed it was then seen that not only had the Terraplas covering done no damage to the grass, it had even helped it grow as can be seen by the grass growing through the air holes.

Right bottom: Unfortunately there was not sufficient Terraplas available to cover all the areas of high traffic. People do not always stick to the designated pathways as can be seen by the difference in grass from where it was covered and where it was not
The first Formula One Grand Prix of the 1997 season was a phenomenal success for David Coulthard in the Maclaren. It was also a huge success for fellow Briton Robert Else with his Terraplas Turf Protection System.