TECHNICAL


pressure tyres, he adds. A total of 8,000m3


of


topsoil was stripped from the site and progressively replaced as the terraces were created. “We ripped the surface to reduce compaction then reapplied topsoil, followed by cultivation, stone raking and final grading, before installing 80mm lateral drainage at 4m centres beneath all the playing surfaces, as well as cut-off drains to catch water off the banksides. These connected into outfall silt chambers then from there to the attenuation pond.” Top drains at 500mm centres, lying 90 degrees to the laterals, followed using a Koro Topdrainer to trench and backfill, again across all playing areas on the three plateaux. “A 25mm sand layer, lightly cultivated into the topsoil, further aids drainage from the surface to the playing surfaces, providing medium fine amelioration before we seeded with Barenbrug Bar 7 sports ryegrass mix.” Around April time, CLS kicks off the initial


ground maintenance, removing any remaining stones, rolling the surface then mowing. “For the first eight cuts, we’ll use our Iseki ride-on rotary fortnightly, starting when the grass reaches 60mm height and cutting down to 50mm,” Brian explains. “Then the Ransomes ride-on triple cylinder mower comes into play in the growing season and we’ll reduce cut height to 35mm with weekly then twice weekly runs, ready for handover of the site at the end of September, applying further dressings of fertiliser and sand topdressing as required, together with overseeding, selective weed control and verti-draining.”


Already in place is the perimeter maintenance access track to the pitches and the main access road to the clubhouse and car park areas. Still to be laid is the trim trail, running just inside the boundary fence. “Open to the public, it’ll be timber-edged, with type 1 stone and a grit binding layer,” Brian confirms.


Reflecting on the project, he concludes: “The weather was with us last year in what was the hottest summer on record. We lost only eight or nine days in our four and half months on site.


“This was a large quantity of earth to shift, but the cut and fill process balanced out nicely and other elements of the job fell into place.” “Working closely alongside a grassroots sports club makes you appreciate just how much voluntary work is necessary to see a project like this come to fruition.” Football is not the only winner here. A 6-


wicket county standard cricket square is greening up ready for the first work on it. “After a light trim around April or May, we’ll import and lay a 100mm layer of cricket loam, prepare the surface for overseeding and apply pre-seed fertiliser,” Brian explains. The contractor will have to cross the football playing areas to reach the square, laid out on the top platform. “We’ll use a mini


124 PC February/March 2019


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