''Turf's up'' will soon be the cry at the Central Otago Sports Trust turf in Cromwell.
Work will begin soon on replacing the ageing sand-based surface at the hockey venue with a water-based turf.
The turf trust built the all-weather hockey ground 18 years ago and the surface needed to be replaced, trust chairman Michael Paardekooper said.
The $1.8million project would include an amenities block.
Businesses, individuals, families and organisations were being invited to sponsor the new turf, buying a square metre or more.
About 60sq m was still awaiting sponsors, he told the Cromwell Community Board this week.
The board agreed to give the trust $50,000 for the project.
The trust has leased Central Otago District Council land for the turf.
Its annual rent goes into a fund which will be used for the donation back to the trust.
Mr Paardekooper said the new water-based turf would be completed for next season.
The public was being invited to recycle 5000sq m of old turf.
''The old turf will make great backyard cricket pitches and mini hockey fields but is also good as a weed suppressant and many other things that I'm sure people will think of,'' he said.
Each 3.6m-wide by 4m to 5m-long section of the turf weighed about 400kg and delivery could be arranged.
The trust was asking for ''a small donation'' towards its project.
The artificial turf and shock pad which sits under the turf would be ideal for use in dog kennels and in ''heavy pedestrian traffic'' areas, he said.
Some would be recycled for use in the mini warm-up turf, but the rest was available for recycling.
