- Campus , Sports
- 28/06/2023
Hockey pitch and tennis courts renovated in time for next academic year
The new build and renovation of the Student Sports Center Eindhoven is going entirely to plan, says director Wim Koch. He is proud of the new hockey pitch currently being installed and the five new tennis courts that will be completed during the summer vacation.
The hockey pitch closest to the Kennedylaan has been in use for twenty-four years as a sand-based/synthetic turf pitch and was in need of replacement. Over the summer it will be transformed into a water-based field hockey pitch. In recent weeks, CSCSport, a contractor specialized in sportsgrounds, has removed the foundations and is now working on the new subsurface. “We have dug up and carted away 8 centimeters of lava-rubber material and 6 centimeters of sand-lava,” says an employee.
Seated on a mechanical shovel, his colleague is leveling the yellow sand (see main photo). This will be topped with 8 centimeters of lava and a foam layer before the synthetic turf can be laid. “But our job doesn't end there. Water has to be sprayed on the pitch during matches so we also have to install water pipes to feed the sprinklers,” says the contractor.
The water used in this way will be largely rainwater that drains from the roofs of the SSC building and is held in large underground containers.
SmashCourt
During the summer vacation the tennis courts will also be given a new surface, Wim Koch tells Cursor. “The five courts are worn beyond repair and no longer have the approval of the Dutch tennis association. The synthetic turf is being replaced by SmashCourt. That's similar to gravel but the subsurface is synthetic turf with a special fiber structure. This is covered with red sand that sits a little higher than the fibers. This is a sustainable option and requires a little less maintenance than traditional gravel courts.” But the chief advantage of SmashCourt is that it's an all-weather surface, playable all year round in almost any weather. Koch also remarks that it's a great surface for both beginners and experienced players. “A good tennis experience,” as he puts it.
North side
From the street, Onze Lieve Vrouwestraat, there are clear signs that SSCE's new build is coming along. The floors have been poured and the walls of the low-rise part of the building are already standing. From the meeting room on the first floor, too, Koch has a good view of the proceedings. “A significant amount of square footage is being added. And after the builders' summer vacation, there's the south side to get started get on. That is going to cause inconvenience a little more frequently than has been the case until now.” And the present sports café will be closed from July 12th. But people doing sport at SSC will still be able to enjoy a drink here; a coffee corner is being set up temporarily near the lockers, or they can go across to the Hockey-Tennis Pavilion. “At the end of the calendar year we may be closing our doors for a few days in order to relocate from the old to the new premises. Everything we're doing can be tracked on our website.”
Discussion