Horsham Downs School
Dates
April 2024 – August 2024
Description
Green by Nature was engaged to convert a 3,000m2 farmer’s paddock,
doubling the size of the school sports field.
Originally a half-sized field with one set of goals, the now eight hectare site
has been transformed into a full athletics track and hybrid soccer/rugby field
Challenges
Several variations occurred during this project, including the planting and
fencing – we provided cost efficiency across the project.
Scope of Work
Shaping of the subgrade
Remove sand carpet
Topsoil replacement and trimming – Laser-trimmed 2 grades
Drainage – primary drainage and main drain
Backfill
Top dress turf sand (sand carpet)
Grooming (sweeping)
The field and surrounding vegetation planting were fenced with stockproof fencing to provide physical delineation between the school and private land, and to keep kids safe from the neighbouring working farm, which holds stock and is used for hay and silage production.
An additional project involved the creation of two raised mounds on either side of the sports field. Designed to incorporate the view of nearby Mt Pirongia, the bunds deflect noise from the Waikato expressway and help to slow prevailing winds onto the school field/grounds.
The bunds were planted and landscaped with help from the community and students, providing an educational experience for the Horsham Downs Enviroschool students.
18 large Pohutukawa trees were planted around the field’s perimeter to frame the view. Carefully spaced to enhance the medium-height landscape without obstructing the view of Mt Pirongia, these trees primarily serve to frame the scenery, add vertical interest, and help reduce the wind speed from prevailing westerly winds.
As a result of cost efficiencies throughout the project, the school was able to provide cushion fall safety surfaces on the three playgrounds and beneath the flying fox. We achieved this by implementing cost savings during the project. Some scheduled items were replaced or substituted, and a bund was removed since it would not realistically benefit the school; a lateral drain effectively provided the necessary drainage instead of the swale.
Horsham Downs Enviroschool students were engaged in the bund planting and landscaping. Community planting days were held on Tuesday, 2nd and 3rd of July. On the first day, 90 students from various classes participated in three waves of about 30 kids each, spending approximately 45 minutes to 1.5 hours planting. The second day saw around 25 senior students contributing for about two hours. The students’ efforts were impressive, as they planted
most of the greenery themselves, leaving only the more challenging areas for the Green by Nature team to handle. Project Lead Michael Budd, prepared plant identification sheets with fun facts, making the process informative and enjoyable. Our team donated Green by Nature drink bottles to all participants.
