Rodney Parade, a stadium in South Wales, owned and operated by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), has announced the commencement of work on the pitch.
The new Desso surface will be playable by Saturday, August 26, with a new drainage and irrigation system – installed alongside a 3G artificial pitch surround – ensuring an uninterrupted fixture list for all three teams accommodated at the venue (Dragons, Newport RFC and Newport County Football Club).
The first stage of the installation process, overseen by the same company which installed the Principality Stadium’s hybrid surface, is to remove the current playing surface in its entirety.
Next the irrigation and drainage systems will be repaired and replaced, before a new root zone and top soil is introduced, then a carpet which contains both live grass and artificial fibers is rolled out. The installation will then be left untouched as root growth sets in, before it is ready for the Dragons, Newport RFC, Newport County and their players and supporters to enjoy.
“Flooding at Rodney Parade will be a thing of the past and the playing surface will be stable and consistent and fit for purpose,” said Principality Stadium manager Mark Williams, who has been part of the WRU consultation group tasked with improving the Rodney Parade facility.
“We are using the same company who installed the pitch at Principality Stadium (Hewitt Sports) and they will also be providing training to all Rodney Parade ground staff on maintenance of the new system over the next few weeks, alongside our own head groundsman Lee Evans.
“The Rodney Parade solution is similar to that which we have at Principality Stadium and to the surfaces at Liberty Stadium and Cardiff City Stadium, although it does come with its own unique and well publicized set of circumstances, with three teams sharing it throughout the season.
“It may not always be ‘picture perfect’ but what you get with this system is the security that the pitch will be playable all year round and free from the kind of problems which have threatened fixtures in the past.”
July 11, 2017
