Aberystwyth Town FC

APPOINT MCARDLE SPORT TEC TO INSTALL A 3G ARTIFICIAL SURFACE ON THEIR EXISTING NATURAL TURF PITCH.

Following the increasing number of artificial pitches installed at Welsh premier league team grounds, Aberystwyth Town FC decided to install a 3G pitch of their own. After a competitive tender and interview process, 3G football pitch construction specialists, McArdle Sport Tec, were delighted to have been awarded the contract by Welsh Premier League side Aberystwyth Town FC to install a state-of-the-art third-generation pitch at the club’s ground.

The 3G football pitch construction project at Park Avenue Stadium had a number of challenges including:

• NAVIGATION AND ACCESSIBILITY OF THE CLUB’S REMOTE LOCATION
• POOR LOCAL AVAILABILITY OF AGGREGATES ETC
• NEAR TO A VERY BUSY TOWN CENTRE, WHICH REQUIRED EXTENSIVE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
• CONTAMINATED SUBSOIL, RESULTING IN VERY EXPENSIVE DISPOSAL COSTS
• THE CLUB’S LIMITED BUDGET
• CONSIDERATION OF THE EXISTING STADIUM FEATURES – REMOVING THE EXISTING SURFACE AND INSTALLING THE SPECIALIST ECOCEPT BASE SYSTEM,KERBING, SYNTHETIC TURF CARPET AND SPECIALIST SPORTS FENCING

To find out more about our 3G football pitch construction services, see our ‘how we do it page’.

McArdle Sport Tec offered the club a new and innovative sports surface base system by TigerTurf called Ecocept, which has been specifically developed for synthetic turf playing surfaces. The base is manufactured on-site, using 80-90% recycled end-of-life waste plastics and rubber mixed with a binder to hold it together. The new base system meets both FIFA and World Rugby impact requirements so can be used for football and rugby surfaces. Using Ecocept reduces the need for a conventional thick layer of crushed stone, and the performance base drains rainwater laterally so that traditional drainage methods are not necessary.

McArdle Sport Tec previously installed an Ecocept pitch at Cheshunt FC at the end of 2015; the installation of Ecocept at the club in Hertfordshire has since gained recognition for TigerTurf for embracing new technology and leading the way for product design, having been named as a finalist in the SAPCA Awards 2016. To read more about this innovative base-system, click here.

The work was completed in time for Aberystwyth Town’s match against Bala Town on 11th October 2016. McArdle were also on-site at Bala Town FC constructing a 3G pitch at their home home ground, Meas Tegid.

ATFC’s Facility Manager, Frank Rowe, claims, “3G pitches have all the benefits of a traditional grass surface but without the drawbacks. In an area with very high rain fall, the excellent drainage the 3G pitch provides, allows the playing surface to remain consistent throughout the year. Furthermore, the artificial pitch can be played on virtually continuously due to the fact that the surface does not cut up or become worn as with grass. Such playing qualities have made 3G pitches extremely popular across Britain and, given the number of times water-logged pitches have prevented games and training in the region, Aberystwyth is extremely fortunate to now have its own.”