Sports facility at the Stadtgymnasium Köln-Porz

On the Right Side

The term “Schäl Sick” – a somewhat disparaging phrase once used by left-bank Cologne residents – referred to the opposite side of the Rhine. This “wrong side” included places like Deutz, Leverkusen, or even Düsseldorf. And, of course, Porz, which is now a district of Cologne. Between the Stadtgymnasium Köln-Porz and the Gymnasial Sports Association Porz e.V., lies the school sports facility on Humboldtstrasse. Back in 2021/2022, a circular track with an inner natural grass field and a sprint track with up to seven lanes were completely renovated with Polytan's Rekortan M system, once again enabling simultaneous use by the athletics club, the city sports association, and school sports. The second phase of this extensive project began in summer 2023. It includes a large artificial turf soccer field, a soccer court, a multifunctional field for basketball and badminton, as well as fitness and climbing areas, a sand court for beach volleyball, and an electronic goal wall.Various Polytan surfaces were used in designing the sports facility. The main field features our artificial turf system LigaTurf Cross, which combines smooth and textured filaments. The benefits of both types of textile fibers create an ideal surface with an appearance and feel almost indistinguishable from natural grass and one that is widely used in professional sports. Thanks to its textured filaments, LigaTurf Cross minimizes maintenance while stabilizing the infill and providing increased turf volume. The soccer field on Humboldtstrasse can also be divided into two small fields for dual use.The mini playing field is designed as a soccer court and enhanced with a digital goal wall. Both areas are equipped with LigaGrass Pro featuring CoolPlus functionality. This textured artificial turf is the perfect solution for municipal, school, and club sports facilities. Its success story began with the DFB initiative “1,000 Mini Playing Fields for Germany,” which became one of the most popular and sustainable projects after the FIFA World Cup in Germany, aiming to inspire young people to play soccer. Polytan's comprehensive soccer court systems include artificial turf, goals, perimeter boards, and ball stop nets.The multifunctional field was realized with PolyPlay SE, our durable all-round surface, mainly used at Humboldtstrasse for basketball and badminton. With a smooth surface and excellent ball bounce, this single-layer surface is the ideal substrate for ball sports in schools and various outdoor applications. Its water-permeable finish enables quick drying, making it usable year-round as an all-weather field. Other benefits include slip resistance, high durability, and low maintenance. Black markings designate basketball areas, while light green markings are for badminton.In the fitness and climbing area, our PolyPlay FS GT safety surface in a special brown tone was installed. This classic safety surface is available in various thicknesses, providing a shock-absorbing surface mainly used on playgrounds. Its poured, water-permeable design makes it particularly low-maintenance while preventing injuries thanks to its cushioning effect. Optimal weather and rot resistance ensure long service life with minimal maintenance costs.Today, the term “Schäl Sick” carries no negative connotations; on the contrary, locals take pride in living on Cologne's “second side.” The redesign of the sports facility in Cologne-Porz certainly made the right choice: Polytan's extensive range of high-quality surfaces.