Guyana Stadium - Grass "No Not Marijuana!"
Sports Letter
Can the cricket pitch for the Stadium be ready in time?
Friday, March 17th 2006
Stabroek News
Dear Editor,
The national sport in Guyana is cricket. People are crazy about it and it is the same pretty well throughout the West Indies. Many people however will not quite understand that the national sport in the UK is soccer. The big scandal in the UK at present concerns the delays and costs associated with the new Wembley Stadium. This showpiece was supposed to hold the final of the FA cup in May. Not so. It will be a year late. The costs have been astronomical and the delays unbelievable in spite of the money being spent. Someone of course is making a packet out of it all.
Last week I went to look at the new cricket stadium at Providence on the East Bank, and had a premonition that the same thing might just happen next year, the way things are shaping up. The structure of the stadium will no doubt be finished, but in view of the chronic shortage of concrete/cement I hope and pray that no short cuts will be taken by contractors in the construction. There doesn't seem to be much if any development for parking, which will be particularly important in the event of wet weather.
Facilities at the airport are improving but Immigration and Customs need to get their act together perfectly to handle the massive influx of visitors for the games. The blue forms which seem so important to the Customs (and so unnecessary to the visitor) should be abolished, especially for users of the green lane where the ponderous inspectors make a virtue of taking their time before giving the nod.
The road into Georgetown is a pleasure to what it was two or three years ago. And there may be just enough hotels for the visitors. However, having said all that there remains the most important thing of all. For what is the purpose of all this activity? So that cricket, the most beautiful of all games can be played at the international level on grass. And for this we will need a superb playing surface of grass. The question is, is it being established at this minute and not just being talked about? No it is not.
I lived for a number of years in Zambia, and for a time in what was then Rhodesia. And also in Barbados. In all those places the rain intensity was such that sowing grass from seed was never done. Grass areas had to be established by planting them, and firms were established whose only task was to produce grass plants by the million ready to plant out. I am getting no information that this is being done for the stadium. Of course no one would be crazy enough to think it could be done by sowing seed would they? Or would they?
And not when the reputation of the country, its President and minister are at stake. Not when there is a definite risk of the games being cancelled, and our reputation being shattered for evermore. Would they risk it? Well team, all I can say is don't hold your breath. Not only has the grass to be planted but it has to be cut many times to thicken it, rolled and watered in the 'dry.' And all this before a ball is bowled on it. Like from now.
Think carefully about this as you munch your toast. If it worries you then make a call to your minister (political or religious), your paper and your friends. Talk about it. We cannot afford a national disgrace on the scale that this would cause if we fail. And don't forget people have given us the money to do all the work and they do not deserve to see their efforts wasted.
If Guyana can't manage it then we should not be ashamed to ask for assistance. From anyone.
Yours faithfully,
John Warrington
I believe TerraForma will be using Bermuda Grass for the Pitch & Outfield.
Can the cricket pitch for the Stadium be ready in time?
Friday, March 17th 2006
Stabroek News
Dear Editor,
The national sport in Guyana is cricket. People are crazy about it and it is the same pretty well throughout the West Indies. Many people however will not quite understand that the national sport in the UK is soccer. The big scandal in the UK at present concerns the delays and costs associated with the new Wembley Stadium. This showpiece was supposed to hold the final of the FA cup in May. Not so. It will be a year late. The costs have been astronomical and the delays unbelievable in spite of the money being spent. Someone of course is making a packet out of it all.
Last week I went to look at the new cricket stadium at Providence on the East Bank, and had a premonition that the same thing might just happen next year, the way things are shaping up. The structure of the stadium will no doubt be finished, but in view of the chronic shortage of concrete/cement I hope and pray that no short cuts will be taken by contractors in the construction. There doesn't seem to be much if any development for parking, which will be particularly important in the event of wet weather.
Facilities at the airport are improving but Immigration and Customs need to get their act together perfectly to handle the massive influx of visitors for the games. The blue forms which seem so important to the Customs (and so unnecessary to the visitor) should be abolished, especially for users of the green lane where the ponderous inspectors make a virtue of taking their time before giving the nod.
The road into Georgetown is a pleasure to what it was two or three years ago. And there may be just enough hotels for the visitors. However, having said all that there remains the most important thing of all. For what is the purpose of all this activity? So that cricket, the most beautiful of all games can be played at the international level on grass. And for this we will need a superb playing surface of grass. The question is, is it being established at this minute and not just being talked about? No it is not.
I lived for a number of years in Zambia, and for a time in what was then Rhodesia. And also in Barbados. In all those places the rain intensity was such that sowing grass from seed was never done. Grass areas had to be established by planting them, and firms were established whose only task was to produce grass plants by the million ready to plant out. I am getting no information that this is being done for the stadium. Of course no one would be crazy enough to think it could be done by sowing seed would they? Or would they?
And not when the reputation of the country, its President and minister are at stake. Not when there is a definite risk of the games being cancelled, and our reputation being shattered for evermore. Would they risk it? Well team, all I can say is don't hold your breath. Not only has the grass to be planted but it has to be cut many times to thicken it, rolled and watered in the 'dry.' And all this before a ball is bowled on it. Like from now.
Think carefully about this as you munch your toast. If it worries you then make a call to your minister (political or religious), your paper and your friends. Talk about it. We cannot afford a national disgrace on the scale that this would cause if we fail. And don't forget people have given us the money to do all the work and they do not deserve to see their efforts wasted.
If Guyana can't manage it then we should not be ashamed to ask for assistance. From anyone.
Yours faithfully,
John Warrington
I believe TerraForma will be using Bermuda Grass for the Pitch & Outfield.
Soil Testing Equipment for Playing Surfaces
Clegg Impact Soil Tester
For sports surfaces, the Clegg is the "instrument of choice" for both natural and artificial turf (ASTM # F1702-96). Use it for horse racing, football, soccer, golf or wherever soil hardness needs to be controlled for safety or playability.
Dynamic TestThe basic principle behind the Clegg Impact Soil Tester is to obtain a measurement of the deceleration of a free falling mass (hammer) from a set height onto a surface under the device. The impact of the hammer produces an electrical pulse, which is converted into a Clegg Impact Value (CIV). Four successive blows of the hammer on the same spot constitutes one test with the peak CIV output to the digital display. The CIV is displayed in units of tens of gravities. This value correlates to the California Bearing Ratio, Texas Class Number, Elastic Modulus, and PSI. Reference ASTM test methods D5874 and F1702.
The Clegg offers the convenience of rapidly scanning compaction variation over large areas. In research studies, 250 tests were performed with the Clegg in a half-day.
Principally regarding CIV obtained using the Standard 4.5 kg Clegg Hammer:
For Pavement Design- CIV is similar in concept to the California Bearing Ratio (CBR). CIV may be used as an alternative to CBR in both laboratory and field on unsoaked samples. CIV may be converted to a Clegg Hammer Modulus (CHM), analogous to an elastic modulus.
For Construction- CIV provides a means of process control by monitoring the effect of roller passes and checking variability. Percent compaction may be estimated by determining the CIV (termed an "As Compact Target CIV") needed to achieve the desired density level for the given material and field moisture content.
For Evaluation- CIV may be used to ensure adequate basecourse strength before sealing or proceeding with subsequent layers. It may also be used to monitor the effect of environmental changes and to investigate pavement failures.
Low Cost- An Impact Test requires only one person and less than half a minute to perform using portable apparatus. The Impact Value is displayed directly and instantaneously on the Hammer’s meter upon completion of the test. The Clegg Impact Test can be performed by the supervisor himself or by the man on the job. Sensible application at the time of construction can reduce the risk of costly overworking or reworking.
Information- Information in the form of Papers, Reports,Technical Notes, Newsletters, etc. covering the theoretical basis, applications and correlation with other soil property tests such as "Proctor Density", Texas Class Number (TCN), Benkelman Beam, California Bearing Ratio (CBR), Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) and Modulus (Youngs or elastic Modulus) are available.
For sports surfaces, the Clegg is the "instrument of choice" for both natural and artificial turf (ASTM # F1702-96). Use it for horse racing, football, soccer, golf or wherever soil hardness needs to be controlled for safety or playability.
Dynamic TestThe basic principle behind the Clegg Impact Soil Tester is to obtain a measurement of the deceleration of a free falling mass (hammer) from a set height onto a surface under the device. The impact of the hammer produces an electrical pulse, which is converted into a Clegg Impact Value (CIV). Four successive blows of the hammer on the same spot constitutes one test with the peak CIV output to the digital display. The CIV is displayed in units of tens of gravities. This value correlates to the California Bearing Ratio, Texas Class Number, Elastic Modulus, and PSI. Reference ASTM test methods D5874 and F1702.
The Clegg offers the convenience of rapidly scanning compaction variation over large areas. In research studies, 250 tests were performed with the Clegg in a half-day.
Principally regarding CIV obtained using the Standard 4.5 kg Clegg Hammer:
For Pavement Design- CIV is similar in concept to the California Bearing Ratio (CBR). CIV may be used as an alternative to CBR in both laboratory and field on unsoaked samples. CIV may be converted to a Clegg Hammer Modulus (CHM), analogous to an elastic modulus.
For Construction- CIV provides a means of process control by monitoring the effect of roller passes and checking variability. Percent compaction may be estimated by determining the CIV (termed an "As Compact Target CIV") needed to achieve the desired density level for the given material and field moisture content.
For Evaluation- CIV may be used to ensure adequate basecourse strength before sealing or proceeding with subsequent layers. It may also be used to monitor the effect of environmental changes and to investigate pavement failures.
Low Cost- An Impact Test requires only one person and less than half a minute to perform using portable apparatus. The Impact Value is displayed directly and instantaneously on the Hammer’s meter upon completion of the test. The Clegg Impact Test can be performed by the supervisor himself or by the man on the job. Sensible application at the time of construction can reduce the risk of costly overworking or reworking.
Information- Information in the form of Papers, Reports,Technical Notes, Newsletters, etc. covering the theoretical basis, applications and correlation with other soil property tests such as "Proctor Density", Texas Class Number (TCN), Benkelman Beam, California Bearing Ratio (CBR), Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) and Modulus (Youngs or elastic Modulus) are available.
Guyana stadium - Site
Providence stadium site
50% of work on pitch completed - source
By Michael DaSilva
Wednesday, March 15th 2006
StabroekNews
March 7th 2006 Site Photos
Terra Firma, the Trinidadian company contracted to lay the wickets and prepare the outfield at the Providence stadium site, is working feverishly to complete their task by May 31. (May / June rains coming)
A source close to the Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007 Local Organising Committee (LOC) said 50 percent of the work on the pitch has been completed and Construction Supervisor of Terra Firma Sheldon Weeks is confident that the firm will meet the May 31 deadline. (They were confident that the first match would be played this month.)
Contacted for a comment on the progress to date, Terra Firma's construction supervisor said he is not at liberty to give those details to the press and referred Stabroek Sport to site engineer Walter Willis who could not be reached. (Information has to be spun and sanitized first for the press, generally called a press release.)
However, last week, while on a media tour of the site, Terra Firma's General Manager Jose Heredia had said the pitch and outfield must be completed by the due date so that by July month- end, one international or two local matches could be played on the wicket to test its bounce and other factors. He had said the international match could be a regional one.
Heredia had reminded the media of the problems the company experienced owing to rain "but right now we are working right through, everyday of the week." (Match should have been in March 2006)
He had said during the period of the rainy season that the company was able to ship all the materials needed on site for the completion of the wickets and outfield. "So we have everything that's needed and when it's completed, you won't have problems in Guyana anymore, at least not at this venue."
Asked if there is a specific time frame between the completion of the wicket and outfield and the time before a match is played, Heredia said: "The only specification the ICC asked for is that they must play and test the wicket by the end of July. We must be able to play two local games or one international game and international can mean regional." (According to the Cric Info website on pitch construction, it takes a minimum of six months before matches can be played.)
According to the general manager, the grass that would be planted on the outfield is similar to the grass found on golf course fairways. "It's a very short grass that can manicure very good and we also have the latest equipment to mow the grass."
Meanwhile, Willis last week informed that there is an adequate stock of cement and reinforcing steel and supplies are still coming in.
Asked if an electronic scoreboard will be installed at the facility, Willis had answered in the negative, but said a manual one, similar to the one in St. Lucia is being constructed. "But if the government or the LOC decides that they can get an electrical scoreboard rented reasonably cheap, we have provision for putting in an electronic scoreboard, we have provision for the replay screen. Adequate provision is being made for those." (I thought this is supposed to be a modern stadium? I guess I was right to question the seating, it was not such a stupid question afterall.)
With regard to arrangements for medical attention, Willis said the Medical Committee headed by Dr. Rudolph Cummings is well on top of what they require. He said that committee has already made three visits to the site and has gone through the medical areas.
"They have advised me what is required, the electrical connections, the provision for oxygen in case of heart attacks, the widening of doors to cater for the mobile stretchers. I must say the medical team is on top of what they require." (What about toilet facilities, will they have water and be flushable?...just another stupid question.)
Willis informed that at the last Summit he attended in Jamaica, he was told about separate parking for ambulances, fire tenders and security. "We must have adequate space for them." (I would like to send Mr. Willis a construction hard hat, we don't want him to get injured by falling debris or fast bouncers whereby requiring medical attention)
50% of work on pitch completed - source
By Michael DaSilva
Wednesday, March 15th 2006
StabroekNews
March 7th 2006 Site Photos
Terra Firma, the Trinidadian company contracted to lay the wickets and prepare the outfield at the Providence stadium site, is working feverishly to complete their task by May 31. (May / June rains coming)
A source close to the Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007 Local Organising Committee (LOC) said 50 percent of the work on the pitch has been completed and Construction Supervisor of Terra Firma Sheldon Weeks is confident that the firm will meet the May 31 deadline. (They were confident that the first match would be played this month.)
Contacted for a comment on the progress to date, Terra Firma's construction supervisor said he is not at liberty to give those details to the press and referred Stabroek Sport to site engineer Walter Willis who could not be reached. (Information has to be spun and sanitized first for the press, generally called a press release.)
However, last week, while on a media tour of the site, Terra Firma's General Manager Jose Heredia had said the pitch and outfield must be completed by the due date so that by July month- end, one international or two local matches could be played on the wicket to test its bounce and other factors. He had said the international match could be a regional one.
Heredia had reminded the media of the problems the company experienced owing to rain "but right now we are working right through, everyday of the week." (Match should have been in March 2006)
He had said during the period of the rainy season that the company was able to ship all the materials needed on site for the completion of the wickets and outfield. "So we have everything that's needed and when it's completed, you won't have problems in Guyana anymore, at least not at this venue."
Asked if there is a specific time frame between the completion of the wicket and outfield and the time before a match is played, Heredia said: "The only specification the ICC asked for is that they must play and test the wicket by the end of July. We must be able to play two local games or one international game and international can mean regional." (According to the Cric Info website on pitch construction, it takes a minimum of six months before matches can be played.)
According to the general manager, the grass that would be planted on the outfield is similar to the grass found on golf course fairways. "It's a very short grass that can manicure very good and we also have the latest equipment to mow the grass."
Meanwhile, Willis last week informed that there is an adequate stock of cement and reinforcing steel and supplies are still coming in.
Asked if an electronic scoreboard will be installed at the facility, Willis had answered in the negative, but said a manual one, similar to the one in St. Lucia is being constructed. "But if the government or the LOC decides that they can get an electrical scoreboard rented reasonably cheap, we have provision for putting in an electronic scoreboard, we have provision for the replay screen. Adequate provision is being made for those." (I thought this is supposed to be a modern stadium? I guess I was right to question the seating, it was not such a stupid question afterall.)
With regard to arrangements for medical attention, Willis said the Medical Committee headed by Dr. Rudolph Cummings is well on top of what they require. He said that committee has already made three visits to the site and has gone through the medical areas.
"They have advised me what is required, the electrical connections, the provision for oxygen in case of heart attacks, the widening of doors to cater for the mobile stretchers. I must say the medical team is on top of what they require." (What about toilet facilities, will they have water and be flushable?...just another stupid question.)
Willis informed that at the last Summit he attended in Jamaica, he was told about separate parking for ambulances, fire tenders and security. "We must have adequate space for them." (I would like to send Mr. Willis a construction hard hat, we don't want him to get injured by falling debris or fast bouncers whereby requiring medical attention)
Guyana Stadium - By Tony Vieira
Bridges, Stadiums and other things
(Aired 9 March 2006)
Tonyvguy
Now I come to the stadium, the story is very simple this stadium will probably not be completed in the period March to October 2006 as was planned. Furthermore any Guyanese who thinks that they are going into that stadium to see world cup cricket for less than $50 to $150 US depending on where you are sitting, can think again. So anyone who is not prepared to fork out at least 10,000 Guyana dollars for a seat to see a match may as well forget it.
Now we come to the facts that leave the engineers of the Guyana Association of Professional Engineers GAPE concerned, since September last year members of GAPE had requested that they be allowed to visit the stadium site, since what they were seeing from the road as far as progress was concerned did not agree with what the government's official releases were regarding the progress in the construction of this stadium, they received a response in January 2006 that the heavy rains would not allow a site visit but that they can ask for a visit again when the rains ceased. The information that the engineers at GAPE have is that a total of 11 million US has been spent to date and that US$14 million is still to be spent to complete the project which is expected to cost a total of 25 million US dollars. no project according to the engineers at Gape can expect to construct at the rate of 0.5 million US a month and at this rate the stadium would require 28 months to complete [14 million /.5 million] but the PPP are expecting to hand it over by October this year.
Based on these figures, for the stadium to be completed there would have to be round the clock construction 24/7 between now and October compressing 28 months of construction into 7 months for the government to finish this stadium by October 2006 for this stadium to be completed on time, and what is of concern is public safety, if the rest of the stadium is to be completed at breakneck speed the public's safety will be compromised.
One stadium in the Caribbean has already collapsed in a category 3 hurricane; an investigation carried out by a well known structural engineering firm from the UK indicated that it was a blessing that it collapsed during the hurricane, since it would have collapsed anyway if loaded with enough people.
So the editorial in the GAPE newsletter recommends that a review of the structural engineering drawings and calculations for the stadium be done so that its members and the general public could be satisfied that the stadium is safe to accommodate the public.
I want to add the following; this is probably going to be a rainy year as last year was and the may June rainy season is coming which will certainly cause further delays in the completion of this project. But the most revealing part of the equation has to be the promise of casino gambling license to anyone who builds a hotel for this world cup event, surely it is an indication that the widely touted tourist industry this Government has been telling us about, is, as I have said many times, a complete failure as is its minister Nadir and this is a public acknowledgment of that fact by the PPP.
(Aired 9 March 2006)
Tonyvguy
Now I come to the stadium, the story is very simple this stadium will probably not be completed in the period March to October 2006 as was planned. Furthermore any Guyanese who thinks that they are going into that stadium to see world cup cricket for less than $50 to $150 US depending on where you are sitting, can think again. So anyone who is not prepared to fork out at least 10,000 Guyana dollars for a seat to see a match may as well forget it.
Now we come to the facts that leave the engineers of the Guyana Association of Professional Engineers GAPE concerned, since September last year members of GAPE had requested that they be allowed to visit the stadium site, since what they were seeing from the road as far as progress was concerned did not agree with what the government's official releases were regarding the progress in the construction of this stadium, they received a response in January 2006 that the heavy rains would not allow a site visit but that they can ask for a visit again when the rains ceased. The information that the engineers at GAPE have is that a total of 11 million US has been spent to date and that US$14 million is still to be spent to complete the project which is expected to cost a total of 25 million US dollars. no project according to the engineers at Gape can expect to construct at the rate of 0.5 million US a month and at this rate the stadium would require 28 months to complete [14 million /.5 million] but the PPP are expecting to hand it over by October this year.
Based on these figures, for the stadium to be completed there would have to be round the clock construction 24/7 between now and October compressing 28 months of construction into 7 months for the government to finish this stadium by October 2006 for this stadium to be completed on time, and what is of concern is public safety, if the rest of the stadium is to be completed at breakneck speed the public's safety will be compromised.
One stadium in the Caribbean has already collapsed in a category 3 hurricane; an investigation carried out by a well known structural engineering firm from the UK indicated that it was a blessing that it collapsed during the hurricane, since it would have collapsed anyway if loaded with enough people.
So the editorial in the GAPE newsletter recommends that a review of the structural engineering drawings and calculations for the stadium be done so that its members and the general public could be satisfied that the stadium is safe to accommodate the public.
I want to add the following; this is probably going to be a rainy year as last year was and the may June rainy season is coming which will certainly cause further delays in the completion of this project. But the most revealing part of the equation has to be the promise of casino gambling license to anyone who builds a hotel for this world cup event, surely it is an indication that the widely touted tourist industry this Government has been telling us about, is, as I have said many times, a complete failure as is its minister Nadir and this is a public acknowledgment of that fact by the PPP.
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