The construction of sports pitches for the Gateway Community College in Thurrock, Essex
Words and pictures by GORDON JAABACK
1. With the school to be developed in a flood plain, a feasibility study was completed. The project incorporated the establishment of nine grassed pitches, two cricket squares and two all-weather playing surfaces.
2. Pre-earthworks was to include the removal of soft blue clay varying from 400mm to 600mm below the surface in cut areas and the further removal of subsoil to offset the loss of flood water storage with the building construction.
3. Pitches were cambered by cut to fill to promote surface drainage. The subgrade was ripped with the shakerator which also incorporated the gypsum application.
4. Primary drainage provisions incorporated the installation of swale storage trenches, lateral and collector drains, gully grating catchpits, concrete structured headwalls, the excavation of a pond and the installation of a hydro-brake system.
5. Secondary drainage included the installation of 50mm excavated slit drains prior to seeding and the amelioration of the top 25mm to 50mm with 360 tons per hectare of sand. Vibrating tine sand injection is to follow in the spring to regain contact with the slit drains following minor contamination in preparing the seedbed.
6. Prior to final soil preparation a further gypsum application was incorporated and the entire area was decompacted with rotating vibrating tines
7. After incorporation of pre-seed fertiliser, seed was treated with a Mycorrhizae contained powder and seeding was undertaken with a seeder that disturbed the the top 25mm of the soil surface. This was the sole means of sand
incorporation. The main concern was to avoid complete mixing into the subsoil and to retain a firmer sandy surface that would nevertheless enable good grass establishment into the clay below.
8. Following the first cut an autumn slow release fertiliser was applied. To date (November 20) the pitches have been mown six times and there is a dense firm grass cover throughout with wet areas confined to northern swales where there is a temporary problem with the pumping system in the ditch reticulation.
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