03
October
2017
|
10:01
Europe/London
Largest UK University all-weather facilities opened at Manchester
All Weather Pitch ARMITAGE 2017
Sports mad students at The University of Manchester will be able to enjoy world class facilities thanks to the opening of the UK’s largest University all-weather pitch facilities.
The four new floodlit synthetic turf pitches, built by SIS Pitches, were unveiled at the University’s Fallowfield campus, winning the ‘Award for Excellence’ at the annual Sport and Play Construction Association Awards earlier this year.
The 42-week project is the UK’s biggest single new build synthetic pitch project at a University, and includes two hockey and single rugby, football pitches and practice cricket wickets.
Added to the 2 pitches that have been at the site since the late 1990’s, this provides the only venue in the country with six full sized, floodlit pitches all in one place.
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Although this was a large and complicated project, we have achieved everything we set out to and are the proud owners of an excellent facility that we know will add massively to the student experience and will provide a world class environment for them and the local community well into the future
Vicky Foster-Lloyd, Head of sport
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Vicky Foster-Lloyd, Head of Sport at The University of Manchester, said : “Although this was a large and complicated project, we have achieved everything we set out to and are the proud owners of an excellent facility that we know will add massively to the student experience and will provide a world class environment for them and the local community well into the future.”
Hockey player MA International Relations student Tom Lush, 2017 University of Manchester Sportsman of the Year, said: “Pride is something important to every University student, and now with the opening of these pitches, this pride will continue to grow inside students for many years to come.’
Amy Tennant, Geography Alumna and Team GB Hockey Player said: “As a past student and player at The University of Manchester, I understand the importance of good sports facilities to enhance the student experience.
“The new pitches at the University will undoubtedly be a place students remember in years to come as somewhere they played and loved sport.
“Furthermore the pitches provide a facility to enhance hockey in the North of England being available to a large plethora of members in the hockey family, to keep hockey thriving’.
Image courtesy of Matthew Wilkinson.