When your cleats hit the turf at Hilliard Athletic Complex, you're stepping on more than just artificial grass. Beneath the surface, an eco-friendly revolution is taking root, as this local sports venue becomes a part of the growing trend of sustainable design. The two new turf fields are not your garden-variety installations, these fields are inlaid with organic woodchips, known as BrockFILL — an engineered wood particle that's shaking up how we play the game.
The environmental benefits of this choice are not to be understated. The Athletic Complex, sitting snugly within the Clover Groff Run watershed, demanded materials that would not harm the surrounding ecology should runoff occur. The city turned to BrockFILL for a solution. These woodchips, crafted from renewable softwood trees harvested over 7-9 years, substitute the traditional and often criticized crumb rubber infill. According to the City of Hilliard, the manufacturing process involves a 12-step procedure, ensuring the end product is devoid of any potentially hazardous shards or dust.
But why bother with wood? The answer might be cooler than you think. Traditional crumb rubber tends to absorb a vast amount of heat, like a blacktop in midsummer's high noon, resulting in scorching playing conditions. BrockFILL, on the other hand, stays significantly cooler, leading to a more comfortable experience for athletes. "BrockFILL maintains a much cooler temperature, lowering the field’s heat output and creating a cooler playing experience," details the City of Hilliard's official release.
Functionality isn't lost to sustainability in this case, though. The woodchips prove to be equal to their rubber counterparts, ensuring the turf fibers are properly weighted and stand tall, improving the look and the game's literal feel. Importantly, playability remains consistent for those questioning the practicality of this innovation, the only difference being "the cooler playing conditions" that athletes can look forward to, as noted by the City of Hilliard's official statement.
Hilliard Athletic Complex has an open invitation for the public to experience this advancement first-hand at their Grand Opening on April 9. Alongside the musical ambiance provided by the Bradley High School Pep Band, attendees will witness the maiden voyage of the new robot field liner, and yes – you can even help choose its name. The site is at 3680 Cosgray Road. Invites are open from 6-7 p.m. If you're wondering, there'll be plenty of natural grass fields to enjoy.
