Hockey Tweed gets keys to more resilient clubhouse
09 October 2024
A major goal has been scored for hockey on the Tweed with the completion of flood restoration and resilience works on the Hockey Tweed clubhouse at the Barrie Smith fields in Murwillumbah.
The facilities, home to the Hockey Tweed Association, were inundated in 2022 with floodwaters more than 1.8m deep.
Under the NSW Government Sports Priority Needs Program Fund - Office of Sport, flood restoration works were conducted to provide greater resilience in the in the event of future flooding.
Council Director Sustainable Communities and Environment, Naomi Searle, said this refurbishment was a truly collaborative effort of the Association and Council.
“It’s a great example where resilience has been built through both infrastructure and the capacity of a community group, and a reflection on how the Tweed community has progressed since the flood disaster,” Ms Searle said.
The work included relocation of the main switchboard above 2022 flood levels and relocating the distribution boards on the floodlight poles for Hockey Field 1 above flood levels.
Clubhouse works saw the lower-level canteen have all flood-damaged equipment and materials removed and replaced with flood-resilience measures such as epoxy coating the floors, removing wall sheets and replacing them with blockwork/rendered walls for easier post-flood washout and replacing timber joinery with stainless steel and aluminium joinery.
Due to the 'less is more' approach with the lower-level canteen, which saw it transformed into more of a pop-up canteen and retail space, Council had surplus funds which were used to upgrade the flooring and joinery in the upper-level kitchen/bar area.
The club will use this space as the main food prep area, mitigating future flood impacts.
Hockey Tweed Operations Manager Matt Bartell said congratulating Council’s Flood Restoration team and the contractors for incorporating greater resilience in the project.
“The restoration project has delivered improved facilities and with the resilience measures in place, in the event of future floods, we will be a much better position to bounce back much quicker,” Mr Bartell said.
“As the key facility for our sport in the Tweed, the work carried out has delivered a facility which will benefit all our clubs into the future.”
Additional works to be conducted as part of Community Assets Program (CAP) will include upgrading the amenity block with flood-resistant materials, upgrading pathways and fencing, repairing the grandstand as well as further works to the clubhouse building.
Image caption: Naomi Searle, Matt Bartell and Kelly Baker.