Polytan LigaTurf Cross in Gothenburg

Meaningful Option in a Community in Need

Gothenburg, with its nearly 600,000 inhabitants, is Sweden’s second-largest city after Stockholm. Its history is shaped by its geographical location on Sweden’s west coast. The ice-free seaport to the North Sea has been an economic advantage for centuries. Fishing, textile industry, iron and timber trade, later shipyards and the automotive sector, have shaped the city's turbulent history of ups and downs. The decline of heavy industry and the shipyard crisis marked a low point in Gothenburg’s history. Today, companies like Volvo, Saab, Hasselblad, and, most recently, AstraZeneca are associated with the city.The Biskopsgården district reflects the city's recent history like a microcosm. Developed as a satellite city in the 1950s, it initially attracted skilled workers and academics. Later, Biskopsgården became a gathering place for social issues and immigration, including widely reported gang and drug wars that made headlines beyond Sweden's borders.For over 25 years, the city administration has been working to better integrate Biskopsgården into the Gothenburg metropolitan region. Numerous apartments have been newly built or renovated. The Live-Good initiative was created as a development forum aimed at improving the quality of life for residents in all aspects. This includes the renovation or construction of sports facilities such as Blidvädersplan, where an artificial turf field was installed in March 2020. This installation primarily offers children and young people in Biskopsgården a place for meaningful recreational activities. Our LigaTurf Cross with a sand infill was chosen for this project.Previously, the area had only a gravel field. The conversion to an artificial turf field was carried out by Ingeborns Entreprenad AB. The sports facility builder first removed an old asphalt running track and restored the subsoil, which was leveled with gravel and elevated in the center to enable water runoff on both sides. A new drainage system was installed. Through the shock pads beneath the turf, rainwater is quickly absorbed and directed horizontally through drainage channels into a collection tank. Additionally, asphalt surfaces were created for snow storage during winter months, along with a lighting system and fencing around the entire facility.Polytan’s LigaTurf Cross combines smooth and textured filament types, merging their benefits into an ideal football turf. The smooth filaments of LigaTurf RS+CP mimic the look and feel of natural grass, while the textured filaments of LigaGrass Pro CP ensure reduced maintenance, improved stabilization of the infill, and greater turf volume. Beneath the turf, there is a sand infill, dense layers, and shock pads, offering the advantage of a sand-filled field where no granulate is displaced.This artificial turf project originated from a community initiative in Biskopsgården. A study by the organization Bo bra processen revealed a lack of activities and recreational opportunities for residents. As a result, the organization presented a proposal to the City of Gothenburg to develop the Blidvädersplan sports facility. The new artificial turf field was completed in July 2020 and is certified under FIFA Quality.