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HelsinkiSports and recreation

Environmentally-friendly artificial turf to be introduced to Helsinki’s Sports Parks

24.5.2023
Topical

During the spring and summer, Helsinki will renew the artificial turfs of several sports parks with new environmentally-friendly materials. The artificial turfs will be replaced in stages in Kontula, Kallahti, Vuosaari, Kivikko, Jakomäki and Laajasuo. The fields cannot be used during the renovation work.

Estimated field renovation times:

  • Kontula Sports Park: 17 April–31 May
  • Kallahti Sports Field: 2 May–30 June
  • Kivikko Sports Park: 26 June–31 July
  • Jakomäki Sports Park: 1 July–mid-August
  • Laajasuo Sports Park: 1 July–mid-August
  • Vuosaari Sports Park (small artificial turf field): 17 July–31 August

Bookers of field shifts will be notified of the interruption in use.

Crushed olive stones and wood is used in new artificial turf.

Excluding one exception, the infill of new artificial turfs include plant-based crumb instead of rubber crumb. Plant-based infill materials do not contain microplastics or other substances harmful to the environment.

Kallahti Sports Field will become the first olive stone-filled artificial turf with a flexible underlay in Helsinki. In addition, the running track of the field will be replaced with a sand artificial grass surface and a new long jump site will be built on the field. Fences will also be renewed.

The small artificial turf field of Vuosaari Sports Park as well as the artificial turf fields of the Kivikko, Jakomäki and Laajasuo Sports Parks will be filled with wood chips and have a flexible underlay. In connection with the contract, some fences of the fields will also be repaired.

Kontula Sports Park will exceptionally have an artificial turf filled with rubber crumb s it is now, because the field also functions as an artificial ice track in winter. There will be structures and tools to prevent the spread of crumb in connection with the field.

The quality requirement for all fields is Fifa Quality, that is, a good quality field suitable for recreational use.

Certification tests will be carried out on all fields.