Sports Technology

Tiger Turf has been awarded the contract to construct two full size synthetic football pitches at the new Eastern Recreation Precinct, in Melbourne's eastern suburbs for Knox City Council.

The project will be home to a full size FIFA 1 Star pitch and nine five-a-side pitches, complete with lighting, fencing and rebound boards. This configuration will enable club training, matches and recreation competitions to be played on the full size pitch while the five-a-side (futsal) pitches will be available to the public for recreational use. The facility will be managed by Football Federation Victoria (FFV).

The five-a-side pitch, providing nine individual pitches surrounded by rebound board fencing will be the first of its kind in Australia. More importantly, it will be surfaced using a new high performance yarn, designed for high usage fields with incomparable durability, Tapeslide XP. Using a proprietary manufacturing process from one of the largest synthetic yarn manufacturers in the world, Tencate, and tufted by Tiger Turf, the 50 mm pile height, polyethylene fibrillated surface will be laid over a preformed shockpad. Tapeslide® XP does not split, making it a most resilient surface, and its durable wear characteristics are backed by a five year durability warranty. Ideal for the high level of usage associated with five-a-side, Tapeslide® XP provides great playability, durability and resilience with the added benefit of reducing infill splash.

The main pitch will be surfaced with Tiger Turf Soccer Real MS50, laid over a 15mm insitu shockpad and field tested to FIFA 1 Star. It will provide a pitch that performs like a freshly watered, high quality national turf, without the need for water. Player's skills and enjoyment are enhanced as the surface is more consistent and safe. Tiger Turf Soccer Real MS50 is a 50mm pile height, soft, shaped four ended monofilament polyethylene surface, sand and rubber filled.

FFV Chief Executive, Mark Rendell said the new football centre would be a unique first in Australia, stating "with the excellent facilities being built, the Knox Regional Centre will be a great place for everyone to enjoy playing and watching football 12 months of the year."

Rendell said having the recreational form of the game in tandem with the traditional form of football will help provide a new income source and new opportunities for participation, adding "the combination of facilities is crucial for the Centre. Five-a-side is the most popular form of sport in the United Kingdom and will add a new dimension to football in Australia."

The football pitches are part of a new major sport and recreation precinct in Wantirna South including an indoor sports stadium, pavilion, open space for informal recreation, grassed and operations area for Victorian Association of Radio Model Soaring, outdoor plaza and forecourt and major car parks, access, and landscaping.

Works on the synthetic pitches are scheduled to complete by the end of 2010.

Click here to contact Tiger Turf via their entry in Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory.

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