New grass at Lerkendal
By Håvard Lindheim, 15 April 2004, 08:31
Rosenborg - Bodø/Glimt match has been moved to Wednesday June 9th due to a closing of the Lerkendal stadium. New grass will be laid out.
IMPROVEMENTS AHEAD: The grass at Lerkendal looked in bad shape even prior to the RBK - Benfica game in March. Summer will see improvements.
Photo: Thomas Myren
Originally, the match against last year's double silver medalionist was supposed to occur at Sunday June 20th, but as the game is now moved, the stadium crew has one and a half month to work - until next home match, against Fredrikstad at July 25th.
The Lerkendal turf was last changed summer 1994. At the time, artifical grass was "sewn into" the foundation to make the ground more durable - quite a revolution at the time. But during the past decade, deposits of old, dead grass has led the mat to grow 3 to 5 cm in height, and hence the artifical grass has more or less "disappeared".
This will now improve.
"We will use special machinery to rotavate off the top layer; then we re-sow with a fast growing grass type that will sprout in a mere week," Grounds responsible Arne Lorentsen says to rbk.no.
The re-turfing of the grass will cost Rosenborg around EUR 115.000. Lorentsen promises that the new base will be more durable with denser grass. The field will however be somewhat harder - much like the newest training facility, the Lerkendal Park.
In connection with the construction of New Lerkendal, the field was moved seven meter closer to the Adidas tribune. This caused a distortion; the pitch is supposed to be at its highest along the middle, following a line between the goals. But no plans exist to fix this.
"We are not going to change this distortion. It has occured because the heating system is adjusted to the old pitch. Noone has complained, however, so we keep the height curve as it is," Arne Lorentsen says.
During the past weeks Rosenborg has tested a new invention - a light rig that is supposed to make the grass grow better. This equipment is also being tested by clubs like Manchester City. No decision is however made to invest in the equipment.
"It is too early to make any conclusions on the effects. At the moment this is just an ongoing trial project."
ASPHALT: Monday saw some puddles, but it has been much worse! Now, the areas outside the stadium are being fixed.
Photo: Thomas Myren
The areas outside the tribunes are also being refurbished. Spectators often have had to carefully navigate pits of mud in their approach to the entrances.
Now, the area is being brushed up with asphalt and flower beds. All in all - everything shall improve.
