The facility, which is being specially created to meet the needs of a variety of users from schools and local sports clubs to professional sporting teams such as Sheffield Eagles, is on schedule to be completed next month.
 
The pitch will then be ready for students from UTC Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park campus and Oasis Academy Don Valley to use, and will be available for public use from June 2017.
 
Chris Mann MBE, Senior Engineer at Henry Boot Construction Limited, oversaw the initial construction of the synthetic pitch. Chris said: “Our team began the process by accurately trimming the pitch area down to formation level – the level at which excavation ceases and construction starts – using a laser guided bulldozer.
 
“The pitch construction team then arrived on site and started installing the sub pitch drainage. This then had a permeable membrane laid over the full area and a stone layer laid over the top of this prior to the finishing touches.”
 
David Fearn, Contract Manager at Charles Lawrence Surfaces Ltd, commented: “A 20 millimetre shock pad was installed prior to the new 3G synthetic surface being laid which comes in rolls – each is 78 metres long and 4 metres wide. Thirty-four of these rolls are individually laid and seamed together. The surface will then be filled with a layer of silica sand and a further layer of rubber crumb.
 
“This process takes about three weeks, if the weather is kind to us! We have also installed the pitch and site perimeter fencing and floodlighting system, and when we get to the final stages we’ll be supplying and installing the goal posts and other equipment.
 
“Our synthetic pitch systems are sourced from leading carpet manufacturers, all of whom are able to provide Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), International Rugby Board (IRB), or International Hockey Federation (FIH) approved products, making them suitable for use in local schools, clubs, national or international venues.”
 
Sarah Clark, Principal of UTC Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park campus, commented: “It’s not long until our students will be able to start using the new pitch and it’s so exciting to watch it all coming together. We can’t wait to get out on there and start making the most of it.”
 
The Olympic Legacy Park pitch is based upon the masterplan by Bond Bryan Architects and supported by project management specialists, Turner and Townsend, and engineers, Arup.
 
For more information, visit www.olympiclegacypark.co.uk, follow @OLPSheffield on Twitter, like our Olympic Legacy Park page on Facebook or search for Legacy Park Ltd on LinkedIn.