Maitland Regional Athletics Centre

Maitland City Council has developed the Maitland Regional Sports Complex as part of its commitment to providing sport and recreation facilities for its rapidly growing population.  It began with the redevelopment of the No 1 Sportsground in 2017, and the second stage has involved the construction of this outstanding athletics centre.  The project has been jointly funded by Council and the Hunter Infrastructure Investment Fund, which is part of the NSW Government’s Restart NSW Fund.

Polytan Australia was a key subcontractor on the project, as it manufactured and installed the synthetic surfacing which is the subject of the certification by the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF).  Despite its headquarters being in Melbourne, and work being undertaken during the first year of COVID, this specialist work was completed on time and to a high standard.

Key features of the project include:

• fully accessible track and facilities;
• an eight lane, 400m synthetic athletics track with ten lanes in the front straight;
• track and field facilities;
• 100m x 64m multipurpose field (within the perimeter of the track);
• floodlighting 200 lux for competition, 75 lux for training;
• tiered and grandstand seating with a capacity of 600;
• changerooms, public amenities and a canteen;
• two large multi-function spaces;
• internal roadworks and carparking.

During the course of the project, substantial additional works were added to the contract, involving the construction of the entrance road from High Street, which included the re-construction of part of High Street, and the construction of disabled access to No 1 Sportsground from Odd Street.

The new regional venue is a significant asset for the community, vastly improving the conditions for both athletes and spectators, and offers an attractive option for hosting zone, regional and state events in the future.