8th April 2020
With Turfdry rapidly approaching the 25th anniversary of its first ever project - a football pitch drainage installation at Garth Park for Rhondda Borough Council, when the ground conditions almost destroyed the new trenching machine on the firm’s very first venture, and the entire business comprised himself and Stuart Wormleighton, who remains Turfdry’s Site Manger to this day - it is an increasingly rare sight to see MD Melvyn Taylor digging trenches in the rain.
The torrential, and seemingly relentless rain that battered the Salesian School site for much of the autumn and winter had led to substantial volumes of surface-water run-off causing flooding in the low corner of the pitch - despite the healthy spout of water coming from the system’s outfall – shown here in the video to the right in November. A quick hand-dug channel was required to prevent damage to the pitch from water caught by the temporary rabbit-proof fencing.
Not the most elegant day’s work, but a successful construction project often requires thinking on one’s feet to make sure the job gets done – especially as we face ever-wetter winters, which can radically impact the programme of works required to deliver quality projects. Indeed, the heavy rain resulted in washout on the pitches, damaging the developing sward and requiring remedial works, which will be carried out later in the year.
Take a look at the gallery below to see some photos from throughout the project, and check in with Turfdry later in the year to find out how the pitches’ development progresses. For more information about Turfdry’s pitch construction projects, take a look at a selection from our portfolio.
