New 3G Pitch Confirmed For Cefn Hengoed Leisure Centre

Swansea Council is going for a hat-trick when it comes to installing new full-sized 3G pitches in the city. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A new flood-lit all-weather pitch will soon take shape at Penyrheol Leisure Centre while the existing synthetic pitch at Morriston, which has seen better days, is being replaced with a new state-of-the-art surface. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Now the council has confirmed it is to go-ahead with a third pitch at Cefn Hengoed Leisure Centre. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cabinet members set aside £500,000 in the recent budget to ensure it can be delivered. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

An exercise to gauge community support for the move has already taken place. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Innovative 3G sports turf is a durable, all-weather surface with porous layers that let water drain through easily. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This means training and matches in sports including football and rugby can continue all-year-round, even during wet weather. In the past two seasons over a third of all junior football matches have been cancelled and rugby clubs have also reported incidents of junior teams losing up to six weeks of fixtures due to poor weather. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The comprehensive schools at all three sites will be able to use the new facilities, as well as local clubs for training or when their games are cancelled on other natural grass pitches because of the weather. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council will also be able to hire out the new 3G pitches to community groups looking to benefit from a top quality sports experience. Other benefits will include increased sporting opportunities for women and girls. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Mark Child, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Healthy City and Wellbeing, said: “Despite the financial challenges that all local authorities are facing we are determined to improve sports and leisure facilities here in Swansea. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“That is why when we were setting the budget for the coming year we set aside £500,000 to ensure that we can deliver new 3G pitches in Swansea. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“These will benefit hundreds of schoolchildren, dozens of local sports clubs and many community groups every year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Thanks to advances in technology the playing surfaces of these new pitches are excellent and when installed many more people of all ages will be able to enjoy sport whatever the weather.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​