For about $900,000, Arrow-town School’s put down an astroturf pitch covering about half of its sportsground.
Though football-specific, the 70x40m surface can also be used for the likes of rippa, ultimate frisbee and running or invasion games, principal James Rasmussen says.
‘‘We see it as a community facility as well.’’
The previous board of trustees plumped for this option rather than spend big money fixing the former field that’d become a mud bath over winter and therefore unusable.
Rasmussen says ‘‘we’ve gone for a longer-fibre, non-infill turf so the children can play on it freely, fall over and not get hurt, and underneath that also is a wee shock pad’’.
Sports co-ordinator Paul Winders says kids are playing on it from 8am till dark each day — ‘‘they absolutely love it’’.
‘‘We’re starting to get inquiries from groups that want to use it.’’
Funding for the pitch came mainly from the sale of a former school house. ‘‘We might have to look for external funding to get some lights,’’ Rasmussen adds.
