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A major $1.3 million rejuvenation of JJ Holland Park in the Melbourne suburb of Kensington is underway.

The popular park will undergo a makeover and will be home to Australia's first synthetic grass field that meets the strict criteria of the Australian Football League and Cricket Australia.

Victorian Sports Minister James Merlino explained "local sporting clubs are at the heart of our communities and by improving the quality of their facilities weâre encouraging even more people to get healthy and active.

"The new artificial surface will help cater for the growing community demand for sporting facilities in Melbourne and give the community more opportunities to get involved in sport."

Minister Merlino congratulated the Melbourne City Council for its $1 million contribution to the park, for the installation of a new pitch for community sports such as football, soccer and cricket.

Member for Melbourne Bronwyn Pike added that "the innovative shape of the pitch means that it will be able to cater for Aussie Rules and soccer (football) matches, but also can add an extra area on each 'wing' thereby converting into a suitable playing surface for cricketers during the summer months.

"This means that the local community can continue to enjoy this wonderful park â whether it is families, primary school kids, mums and dads and our many local sporting clubs.

"The new synthetic, multi-sport field will go a long way towards promoting local sport to our communities, increasing participation and a sense of belonging."

Minister Pike said the other great advantage of the new field was that it would not require watering, enabling it to withstand more wear and tear than conventional turf pitches. Victorian Government funding for the project comes from the Community Facility Funding Program.

The artificial turf system at JJ Holland Park is a new systems that meets the needs of both the AFL and Cricket Australia developed by Sydney-based TEAM Sport Surfaces.

For more information on this product contact 02 9838 4429, E: info@teamsports.com.au, www.teamsports.com.au

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