Bergvliet Sports Association is installing an Astroturf field hoping to draw players from the wider area to join its hockey club.
Club president Mike Lamb said the grassed playing field in Children’s Way, Bergvliet, had been used for hockey by the association since 1958. For many years, the field had floodlights for night games and practices.
In 1999 the Bergvliet and Constantia hockey clubs amalgamated to form the Constantiaberg Hockey Club.
In recent years, hockey has been played almost exclusively on Astroturf surfaces. In line with this trend, an Astroturf hockey field is shortly to be laid on the Children’s Way playing field for use by both the Sweet Valley Primary School and the Constantiaberg Hockey Club.
Mr Lamb said the sports facilities bounded by Children’s Way, Silverhurst Road and Alphen Way were owned by the City of Cape Town and are leased to the Bergvliet Sports Association.
“The city council has approved the development of the Astroturf hockey field which will include floodlighting facilities and this project will commence soon,” he said. The project has been made possible by a partnership between the Bergvliet Sports Association and the Sweet Valley Primary School.
“The acquisition of an Astroturf hockey field will be a great asset and will allow Sweet Valley pupils and the Constantiaberg juniors and the mini hockey groups to become accustomed to the modern Astroturf hockey game from a young age,” said Mr Lamb.
Having this facility at the Bergvliet Sports Association’s sports complex will once again provide a home venue for its men and women hockey players.
Mr Lamb said the Constantiaberg Hockey Club had always been a leading club in the Western Province leagues and the new facilities would help to attract even more players.