Educational Establishments
and new 20-lane advanced synthetic and natural turf practice facility, developed to meet the school’s requirements for elite performance and capacity, which mimics conditions out in the heat of competition. A veritable cricket hub. The school runs no fewer than four full-
size synthetic sportspitches; two new, a third rebuilt - no rubber crumb 3G systems as yet, although the oldest, sand-filled, surface, used for football, tennis and “a bit of hockey”, may become 4G, Richard adds. “This is the opportunity to evaluate need and we are currently researching fourth generation or sand-filled options.” One sand-dressed pitch is dedicated to
hockey, whilst two others, recently constructed by specialist sports and landscape contractor CLS Sports, have further boosted hockey and football capacity. Echoing sentiment across turfcare, Richard
notes: “There is always pressure on grass. Hockey is a safer sport when played on synthetic surfaces and our preference is to stage it purely on artificial pitches which, in turn, frees up grassed areas for football and rugby.”
With lines stitched into the surfaces, the
synthetic areas need only a weekly brush and blow by the grounds team, but the school calls in a contractor for more extensive maintenance such as refreshing infill and fibres. Oundle wanted to deliver elite-level first XI
hockey provision on the footprint of an existing pitch and brought in pitch designers and advisers Notts Sport for the project, who contracted CLS Sports to install two sand- dressed international standard surfaces, also designed to stage tennis, the contractor originally having rebuilt one of the hockey pitches several years ago. Grounds conditions dictated a fresh
approach to drainage. All three pitches they installed include Posidrain and geo grid layer - a trenchless system fitted with drainage sections incorporating geotextile to allow bi- directional flow and avoid settlement within drain lines. Under the latest sporting upgrades to the
estate, the contractor also re-profiled one of Oundle’s rugby pitches, softening the incline to create a more robust surface. “The challenge for us is to maintain
facilities to a high standard,” Richard says, “not only because this reflects on our reputation in the town, but also because we can sustain our position in the top league of independent schools.” Revenue generation is a key consideration
for a school potentially lying ‘dormant’ for twenty weeks a year, Richard notes. “The pressure is growing to utilise our facilities throughout the year, but this impacts on costs and resources of course.” “Engagement with the community is
important and we let out grass pitches to local football, cricket and rugby clubs during the year to create a little added income for us and to further strengthen our links with the town.” “Then, in mid-August, we stage England and Wales Cricket Board and London Schools
Sisis Twinplay in action on the hockey pitch
PLATINUM PARTNER
PC OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016 I 63
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