Fleming College

 

 
(l-r) Winston Ernst (PYSC); Tony Tilly, President, Fleming College; Nicole Palmer, President, SAC; Mayor Daryl Bennett; Peter McLean, Chair, Fleming Board of Governors; Victor Wasalenko (PYSC).

 

 

Community sports in the City of Peterborough received a boost today with the official opening of new artificial turf fields at the Fleming Sport Complex (FSC).

 

“These outstanding sports fields are a testament to partnership and innovation and will be of service to the entire community,” said Peterborough Mayor Daryl Bennett.  “I am grateful to Fleming College and its Student Administrative Council, as well as the Peterborough Youth Soccer Club, for their foresight and support of City goals,” said Mayor Bennett.

  

The two lighted fields, built at Fleming College’s Sutherland Campus, can accommodate rugby, soccer and lacrosse. The fields are FIFA 1 Star certified, which is a world recognized rigorous testing program that includes stringent laboratory and field tests. The field turf passed several tests of durability, joint strength, climatic resistance, ball bounce and rebound, and shock absorbency, to name a few.

 

Fleming College and its Student Administrative Council (SAC) partnered with the City of Peterborough and the Peterborough Youth Soccer Club to fund the $6.07 million facility.

“As President of the Fleming College Student Administrative Council I am honoured to speak on behalf of Fleming students with a special mention to our graduates and past leaders, who in 2011 had the foresight and voted 90.7% in favour of contributing $2.9 million to the construction of the Fleming Sports Complex. This has dramatically changed the face of the Sutherland Campus and will position Fleming Knights Athletics as a leader in Ontario College sports,” said Nicole Palmer, President of Fleming SAC.

 
“We are very pleased to have partnered with our Student Administrative Council, the City of Peterborough and the Youth Soccer Club. This is a fantastic facility that will only improve our already excellent athletics program at Fleming College. Recreation and extracurricular activities are important components of a well-rounded student experience – we welcome the opening of the Fleming Sport Complex and look forward to the many benefits it will provide our students,” said Tony Tilly, President of Fleming College.

 

Community soccer, rugby and field lacrosse athletes as well as local minor sports organizations will use the field in addition to Fleming’s varsity teams and intramural sports leagues. The FSC also features a fieldhouse with public washrooms, four changerooms, a multipurpose room, and a patio with views over both fields.

 

Victor Waselenko, President of Peterborough Youth Soccer Club remarked, “These fields will provide a world class playing facility for our young players in Peterborough and will help grow soccer in Peterborough. The fields will not only benefit our club but will enhance the sport of soccer in Peterborough as a whole. Because they are not affected by weather, the fields will also enable us to extend our soccer season throughout the year which will aid in the development of soccer in our city.”

 

The artificial turf fields:

– Have the look and feel of real grass no matter what time of year and offer an improved and consistent playing condition; 

– Offer longer playing hours as it does not need time to recover like natural grass turf; 

– Are fully lighted for night games;

– Do not require pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides or fungicides;

– Require low maintenance and upkeep;

– Reduce the amount of carbon emissions as there is no need for mowing;

– Maximize playing time – one artificial turf field equals the playing time of three natural turf fields;

– Provide a consistent playing surface, which reduces joint injuries.

– Can drain the 100-year rainstorm within 30 minutes to reduce downtime for tournaments, games and special events.   

For more information:
Laura Copeland                                                                                 Mary Gallop
Communications Officer                                                               Manager, Facilities and Special Projects
Fleming College                                                                               City of Peterborough
laura.copeland@flemingcollege.ca                                         mgallop@peterborough.ca
705.749.5530 x 1370                                                                         705.742.7777 x 1828