Sports Management Q2 2012 - Leisure Opportunities

The 5,000sq m sports hall can hostfour full-size handball courts, fourfutsal pitches, eight netball courts orsix basketball courtsVisitors are just as likely to see an international, elite squad training in thegym as they are a local school team hiring out a five-a-side court in the sports halllong- and triple-jump pits, changingrooms, kitchen facilities, a warm-up areaand a sports medical room were added.Architecture and designDesigned by architect David La Richefrom LRK Associates, SportHouse sitswithin 4.2 acres of the 45 hectare MayesbrookPark. Existing buildings weredemolished to make way for the new facilitywhich includes new changing roomsand two external multi-purpose courts.The project’s lead contractor, MorganSindall, was responsible for the constructionand delivery of the project. “This wasone of the last Olympic projects to getfunding from the ODA, so we had an extremelytight time-frame and budget towork with”, says Morgan Sindall’s managingdirector at the London Office, PeterJacobs. “However, it’s been a real privilegeto work on SportHouse – the facilitiesare going to have a life-enhancing impacton the local community and seeing thesite come to life has really brought theproximity of the Olympics home to thepeople who live in this area.”Elite and community supportThe two gyms at SportHouse cover acombined 1,000sq m of floor space andhouse 300 pieces of cardiovascular andstrength training equipment, includingSPORTHOUSE – FACTS AND FIGURES 5,000sq m multi-use sports hall 1,000sq m gym across two floors 250-cover restaurant and bar 6,000 member capacitya fully-inclusive range of Cybex fitnessequipment, accredited by the InclusiveFitness Initiative (IFI) programme.“We’ve worked closely with MikeStimson and his team, since their visit toIHRSA in 2011, when they tested out fitnessequipment from all manufacturersbefore choosing Cybex,” says Rob Thurston,commercial director for Cybex UK.“The relationship between Cybex andSportHouse will continue to strengthenas we recognise the shared valuesbetween both parties; the high-performancedesign of Cybex equipment willhelp to support SportHouse’s vision todeliver a sports facility that caters for thesports and training regimes of a widesection of users of all abilities.”The sports hallBut althought SportHouse has anexcellent range of facilities, it’s the5,000sq m, multi-use sports hall that enabledthe site to qualify for the title ofGames-Time Training Venue. Designedfor maximum versatility and flexibility,the clear-span space can be configuredas four full-size handball courts or futsalpitches, six netball courts or 54 badmintoncourts at any one time.The flooring used in the sports hall –which was laid in just five weeks – wasdesigned, manufactured and installedby Gerflor, a specialist in resilient flooringsolutions. “The sports hall features5,000sq m of Gerflor’s Taraflex Combisportflooring,” says Darren Wood, Taraflexsport manager for Gerflor. “This floor systemwill help deliver community throughto elite athlete performance, while offeringusers both safety and comfort.”Contributing to the individuality anddistinctiveness of the venue, the flooringhas been produced in London Blue, acolour mixed exclusively for the London2012 Handball Arena and SportHouse.Temporary flooring has also beenprovided in accordance with the requirementsof the London 2012 OrganisingCommittee for the Olympic ParalympicGames (LOCOG), to support the trainingneeds of the wheelchair rugby athletes.Issue 2 2012 © cybertrek 2012 Read Sports Management online sportsmanagement.co.uk/digital 25