Sports Facility Show 2013

Sports Facility Show 2013 addresses challenges facing sport

Published in Sports Management 2013 issue 4

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David Moorcroft speaking at the Sports Facility Show at Allianz Park

Allianz Park, home of Saracens Rugby Club, welcomed a host of industry specialists for the final Sports Facility Show of 2013, run by SAPCA, The Sports and Play Construction Association. The show focused on sports facility funding, design, development and management and showcased a special focus on synthetic turf.

Opened with a special seminar by former 5,000m world record holder and Commonwealth gold medallist, Dave Moorcroft OBE, the show hosted a variety of seminars covering a huge range of key topics for facility owners across the sporting spectrum, aimed at engaging with those involved in the development of facilities.

Speaking about the legacy of the London 2012 Games, Dave Moorcroft stressed the need to focus on actively creating change.

“We need to create a movement to help promote change,” he said. “It’s hugely ironic that the UK, as one of the world’s most successful sporting nations, has one of the lowest levels of physical activity. We should focus on creating a single strategy for sport for the next 10 years and bridging the gap between play and sports, particularly once children reach 12 years of age, when many aren’t as likely to actively engage in sport as their younger counterparts.”

The event included expert industry speakers and 47 dedicated exhibitors, welcoming anyone involved in the funding, design, development and management of sports facilities, from sports clubs and schools to leisure operators.

Chris Trickey, SAPCA CEO, was thrilled with the turnout: “The Sports Facility Show remains an indispensable aid to help those involved in almost every aspect of indoor and outdoor sports facility development. It’s absolutely invaluable to anyone involved in the industry.”

Awards and accolades: SAPCA congratulates…

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park recognised for ‘elite’ facilities

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, which hosted the London 2012 Paralympic Games, welcomes a brand new installation of tennis equipment at its Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, which recently received ITF Recognition.

The venue includes four indoor and six outdoor tennis courts. The Spadeoak installed DecoColor courts were tested against the recommendations contained in the ITF Guide to Test Methods for Tennis Court Surfaces and gained the Two-Star ITF Recognition award, which demands the highest quality of installation.

Ready for elite play
This confirms that the courts are of a standard demanded by elite level play; a standard that has secured them selection by the ITF to stage the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters 2014-2016.

The facility is Spadeoak’s second facility to obtain Two-Star ITF Recognition, the first being at Eton Manor, Olympic Park, London, consisting of nine tennis courts which staged the hugely successful 2012 London Paralympics wheelchair tennis event. The DecoColor surface was supplied by California Products Corporation, a company specialising in court surface industry and a long-standing member of the ITF Foundation.

Specialist equipment
The new installation also includes specialist equipment, including: blue court screens and 2mm thick, 50mm mesh, white polypropylene divider nets that are flame retardant treated to BS 5867 part 2 type b performance.

The additions were manufactured and installed by Edwards Sports, through H & J Martin.

The QE Olympic Park venue includes four indoor and six outdoor tennis courts

Awards and accolades: SAPCA congratulates…

O’Brien Contractors named as Company of the Year

O’Brien Contractors has been named as Company of the Year in the 2013 Chamber Awards, and its managing director, Peter O’Brien, also received the Outstanding Personal Achievement Award at the ceremony in November. As well as creating 23 new jobs in 2013, the specialist civil engineering firm has raised more than £7,000 for charity.

Peter O’Brien said: “[This] is a wonderful endorsement of how hard everyone at O’Brien’s has worked to achieve our goals. We are dedicated to striving to improve the efficiency and environmental impact of construction projects.”
The award comes with a £25,000 cheque, which O’Brien is investing in its apprenticeship programme to help more young people enter the construction industry and also into the company’s community fund..