Flash outdoor pitch completed and ready

You can forgive sports enthusiasts for thinking the outdoor pitch at The Flash is cursed, after the leisure centre’s announcement that it was ready to be used again coincided with the country being plunged back into lockdown!

Prior to the weekend, Powys County Council and Freedom Leisure proudly confirmed that the much maligned pitch was ready after 18 months of inaction due to health and safety concerns.

But plans to reopen are on the back burner after First Minister, Mark Drakeford, ordered all leisure and sports facilities to close following a south Wales spike in Covid-19 cases. 

The extensive works include the replacement of the outdoor playing surface along with a revised pitch lighting design.

The new pitch facility has been Federation of International Hockey(FIH) certified after in-depth testing by an FIH-accredited test institute to ensure the surface meets the requirements of the FIH quality programme for hockey turf.

Cllr Rachel Powell, Powys County Council’s Cabinet Member for Leisure Services, said: “I’m delighted that this work has been completed. It has been a complex projected which was impacted by the pandemic.

“This work was only possible thanks to our strong partnership with Freedom Leisure and it demonstrates our continued commitment to provide high-quality, inclusive and fully accessible leisure facilities for all communities in Powys.

“We would like to thank customers and users of the leisure centre in Welshpool for their patience, support and understanding while these works were carried out.”

Gwyn Owen, Area Manager Freedom Leisure Powys said: “We are delighted that the pitch at the Flash is reopening and we look forward to welcoming the community back to outdoor sports on the new playing surface.”

The pitch was due to reopen on Monday, January 4, however it will now reopen when Welsh Government coronavirus restrictions allow.