Pitching IN...
Quality renovation of synthetic pitches can add years to the life of the surface, especially important in these days of budget restraints and economic downturn.
HOLLY HARVEY reports on one company with strong views on the subject
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n such difficult economic times, grounds managers are having to make every penny count. Synthetic sports pitches offer considerable financial benefits in terms of their versatility and low labour requirement, but represent a serious investment when it comes to replacing the playing surface. Equally, looking after synthetic surfaces well
protects this investment, and purchasing the right maintenance equipment, or engaging a contractor with the latest machinery and the knowledge to use it to best advantage, can prove a very wise move. Mark Pashley, a former Chairman of the pitch and track division of SAPCA and former Managing Director of Heydour Ltd., has strong views on the subject. His extensive experience, within both artificial and natural sports projects, is being used in the maintenance and refurbishment of these facilities. Mark believes that synthetic surfaces have been sorely neglected when it comes to maintenance. “The surfaces become very compacted which, in turn, leads to a reduction in drainage. Silt and debris builds up and bacteria and weeds start to grow. With lack of maintenance, seams and high wear areas can be affected very quickly, resulting in carpet failure. Goal mouths and penalty spots should get more frequent attention with regular sand or rubber top ups, but this is just not being done. End users must take on board that they need to carry out regular maintenance to get the best value from their surface and ensure that the playing area is health and safety friendly,” he asserts. “Funding for new facilities are currently low due to a lot of investment going towards the Olympics,” points out Mark. “The solution is to get additional life out of the pitch. Clubs really need to get fifteen years out of their surfaces instead of the usual ten and, with the correct maintenance and in most cases, this should not be a problem.” After researching the market for machinery, Mark chose Charterhouse to supply a range of machinery that encompassed all of the proposed maintenance operations he required. He liked the company ethos. As well as being members of the Synthetic Turf Council they also had their equipment tested by independent sports consultants. “It was critical that the machinery I intended using had been tested to show that, not only did it work, but that it had no
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