A MUGA, or multi-use games area, was installed over the summer holidays at Archbishop Wake Primary School in Blandford Forum, and is set to transform the outside sports facilities at this popular Dorset school.
The school did not have an external, multi-surface games area, and struggled during wet weather without a suitable place where the children could play sports. The school funded this project themselves, using their own sports funding and donations, and appointed us to obtain the necessary planning permissions, and oversee the selection and appointment of a specialist contractor – in this case, AGI Limited. MUGA schemes require both planning and drainage investigations, along with a technical understanding of artificial surfaces and how these should be installed.
These photographs show just how well this new all-weather sports area fits into its new surroundings, all ready for this school year and many more to come.
MUGA’s have become increasing popular in recent years, as they are able to cater for a wide range of sporting activities all year round – everything from football, rugby, cricket, netball, tennis, badminton, basketball and athletics.
This means they have significant advantages over the more traditional, higher maintenance, turf pitches. The new polymeric surface is low maintenance, long-lasting, and looks and performs exactly the same way in the summer as it does in the winter, quickly allowing any rainfall to drain through the surface.
For anyone playing sport on this surface, it is soft and springy, minimising the risk of sprained ankles and is much kinder to joints. There are also likely to be far fewer cuts and grazes, as the surface is much less abrasive than a macadum surface, which was used for the earliest forms of MUGA.
When compared to real grass, the major advantage of this surface is that it can be used all year round, and around the clock, making the MUGA a fantastic investment for the Archbishop Wake Primary School. Funds permitting, the MUGA could ultimately be enhanced with lighting and changing rooms, giving school the option to rent out these facilities, and potentially providing a new opportunity for much-needed income.
Completed on time and within budget, Archbishop Wake Primary School is delighted with its new facilities, and we are very pleased to have played our part.