Renovation no longer makes sense: The artificial turf of TSV Neuried is used intensively in training and match operations. Here is a scene from a game of the second men's team at the beginning of May against SV Planegg-Krailling II. © Dagmar Rutt
The artificial turf pitch of TSV Neuried has come to an end. 17 years after its inauguration, it is now being replaced. Costs of almost 310,000 euros will be incurred by the municipality. The work is scheduled to take place this August.
Neuried – TSV Neuried is to receive a new artificial turf pitch before the end of this year. At its most recent meeting, the municipal council unanimously decided to commission the company Polytan Sportplatzbau from Burgheim with the work. Among eight companies requested, the company had submitted the cheapest offer of 307,744 euros, which remained almost ten percent below the cost estimate.
The football department of TSV Neuried currently has 800 members. Since 2006, the artificial turf in the sports park has been used almost daily by several teams. Due to this stress, it is now showing severe signs of wear. Protruding seams and worn pile areas increased the risk of injury, it was said in the meeting. In recent years, renovation measures have already been carried out in various problem areas, so that a complete renovation has so far been postponed. However, this is no longer possible if you want to keep the game going. "As of today, further restructuring would no longer make sense," according to the meeting proposal.
Cork and sand instead of microplastic granules
Preparations for the replacement of the artificial turf have already been going on for several months. At the beginning of August last year, a meeting took place between club representatives and the municipal administration. The TSV had looked at several all-weather surfaces at other clubs in advance and paid attention to sustainability, maintenance intensity and playability when choosing the surface. Dieter Maier (Greens) explained that the new surface was environmentally friendly and therefore "quite exemplary". Instead of microplastic granules, the square is filled with cork and sand, the fibers are made of bio-based plastic, and the entire product is climate-neutral.
However, as Mayor Harald Zipfel explained, the old pavement will be disposed of. Recycling would cost between EUR 30 000 and EUR 50 000. The question is also how and where the material is recycled, said Zipfel with a view to the life cycle assessment. As far as he knows, not in Germany. Robert Hrasky (BZN) described the purchase as good, but one had to keep in mind that the artificial turf pitch would cause considerable costs for the municipality in the long term. With a useful life of twelve to 15 years, the municipality would have to raise 20,000 to 30,000 euros a year converted to the acquisition costs. "And there's no maintenance yet."
The municipality has set aside 400,000 euros in the budget for the renewal of the artificial turf. This is also intended to cover any additional costs such as price increases or repairs to the substructure. Work in the sports park is scheduled to be carried out in August this year.
Andreas Deny
