Sports Technology

Work is set to commence on a $2.2 million upgrade of the Lambert Park stadium, home of the APIA Leichhardt Tigers FC, in the Sydney inner west suburb of Leichhardt.

The upgrade will include a new club house at the stadium including bigger dressing rooms for players and officials, upgraded floodlights, new perimeter fencing and the installation of a new artificial turf surface that uses organic natural infill.

The Club, which has a long and accomplished playing history, having played in the former National Soccer League from 1979 to 1992, has played at Lambert Park since 1954.

Now competing in the IGA National Premier Leagues NSW Division One, the Club's redevelopment plans for the historic ground were boosted in March 2011, when then NSW Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell committed $2.2 million to the upgrade of the historic ground, a funding pledge that honoured after O'Farrell assumed the NSW Premiership.

Speaking when he made the funding commitment, Barry O'Farrell stated "APIA Leichhardt Tigers FC is one of Australian football's iconic clubs and has playedan immense role in the local community for many decades.

"However, the Tigers' home ground Lambert Park has sadly fallen into a state ofdisrepair and the Club does not have sufficient funds to cover the costs of a complete upgrade (so) I am pleased (that my) Government will commit $2.2 million to the upgrade of Lambert Park securing the venue for future generationsand establishing it as the home of football in the inner west."

The artificial grass surface to be installed at Lambert Park, from Italian-based Limonta Sport, is to be used in conjunction with Limonta's InfillPro Geo system, an organic material of plant origin that has revolutionised the infill method for artificial turf fields.

Being organic, the infill is environmentally friendly and performs at low temperatures, keeping the median temperature of the artificial turf surface lower than if rubber infill is used a vital consideration in the Australian climate.

In addition, with its plant origin, InfillPro Geo has a high UV resistance making deterioration very slow over a very long time while the plant origin of InfillPro Geo also provides a correct bounce of the ball and in the case of falling, similar characteristics to natural grass.

The Lambert Park installation will be Limonta Sport's first in Australia, to be followed by a second surface for Football Federation South Australia at Adelaide Shores.

However, as one of just a handful of global manufacturers with FIFA Preferred Producer status, Limonta Sport have a global reputation with more than 150 pitch installations worldwide for prestigious clients including AC Milan, Athetico Madrid and Ajax Amsterdam.

Lambert Park is believed to have been used as a major football venue for at least 70 years.

For more information click here to contact Limonta Sport's Australian distributor, Adelaide-based Greenplay Australia/Limonta Sport NewGrass Pty Ltd via their entry in the Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory.

5th May 2010 - FIRST INSTALLATIONS FOR ORGANIC SYNTHETIC TURF INFILL