Tag Archive for: Park

Dennis gives Colliers Park the cutting edge

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Dennis gives Colliers Park the cutting edge: Head Groundsperson James Mathewson, in his 18 months at Colliers Park, has ushered in a new era with a forward-thinking approach, exemplifying this through the adoption of cutting-edge sustainable technology, such as the Dennis ES-860 battery-powered cylinder mower.

His choice in equipment is not the only modern approach James adheres to as he emphasises transparency in his role. We try to explain as much as possible what we are doing. I want to see people playing football and see the pitches in use.” This commitment to transparency and active pitch use aligns with Colliers Park’s dedication to providing top-quality pitches.

Dennis gives Colliers Park the cutting edge

Dennis gives Colliers Park the cutting edge

Colliers Park’s grounds team, inspired by the Football Association of Wales’ (FAW) passion for sustainability, recently invested in battery-powered pitch maintenance equipment. James’ confidence in the Dennis brand led him to choose the ES-860, the battery powered counterpart to the acclaimed Dennis G860 cylinder mower.

“Dennis took their time and carried out comprehensive testing before launching their  battery-powered machinery, but they are by far the best on the market in my opinion,” says James. “I had previously used the Dennis G860’s and they were brilliant. A question we asked when we first looked at the ES-860’s was whether the cassettes from the G860’s would fit, and once we found out they did, it was an easy decision.”

The ES-860 is a 34″ battery-powered turf management system with 13 interchangeable cassette options, offering versatility in day-to-day maintenance tasks such as cutting, scarifying, brushing, and verticutting.

James offers further insight into his use of cassettes: “We’ve got the 8 bladed cutting cassette, three verticutting cassettes which we use quite a lot, and we also have brushes and sorrel rollers. Being able to increase the cassette speed when using the brush is a big plus, they work a lot better and throw the debris into the box a bit more. The verticutter is a really useful tool for us, and with the electric power behind it, it is fantastic. We can do a whole pitch in between a training session, and that’s the job done for the week.”

Praising the battery life, James expresses satisfaction with the ES-860’s ability to complete a whole pitch on a single charge.

“We can get a whole pitch cut on one single charge without fear of it running out,” he says. “If three of us go out, each with a mower, it will take us about an hour and half, and the charge will be on approximately 80-85% when we’ve finished. To lose just a small amount of battery for an hour and a half of cutting is phenomenal. We have no worries about topping them up with fuel or having to take time out to go to a petrol station. They are just always ready to go and if someone did forget to put them on charge, then you will still have the majority of the battery remaining.”

The machine’s reliability and solid build make it a trustworthy machine in the unpredictable weather of Wrexham. Additionally, James commends the comfort of use, particularly the easy turning that accommodates the tight turning circles at the end of the pitches.

James’s endorsement of the Dennis ES-860 reflects not only its superior performance but also the commitment of Colliers Park to embrace sustainable and efficient turf management practices.

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Dennis on Twitter and Instagram @DennisMowers and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/DennisMowersUK. You can also view the latest Dennis videos by visiting www.youtube.com/DennisMowers

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Fibresand success at Colliers Park

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Fibresand success at Colliers Park: Colliers Park National Football Development Centre, located in Wrexham, is a premier facility dedicated to the development and training of football talents. One key figure contributing to the success of Colliers Park is James Mathewson, the Head Groundsperson, who has brought his extensive experience to improve the quality of the pitches.

James’ journey in the world of grounds management began at the Honourable Artillery Company in London, where he gained valuable experience. His passion and skills led him to work at renowned football clubs such as West Ham United FC and Arsenal FC, spending four years at Arsenal’s training ground in London Colney. Following the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, James took on the role of Deputy Head Groundsperson at Northampton Saints before the opportunity to work at Colliers Park arose, and he has been contributing to the Centre’s success for the past 18 months.

Fibresand success at Colliers Park

Fibresand success at Colliers Park

Mansfield Sand is a reputable company known for providing high-quality products and solutions for turf management. With a history of delivering market leading sand products, Mansfield Sand has become a trusted partner for groundspersons and turf professionals.

At Colliers Park, James implements Mansfield Sand’s Fibresand for the renovation of the pitches. The Fibresand pitch, now four years old, has proven to be a game-changer in terms of performance and durability. James stated, “I used them for my first renovation I did here, and the rest is history. We topped up 150 tonnes of Fibresand, and it has been regularly topped up since it first came in.”

James highlights several advantages of Fibresand over traditional soil-based pitches. “The Fibresand pitch offers superior drainage, holds together better, and minimises the risk of chunks being kicked out during play. Additionally, the ease of damage repair and quick recovery contributes to a healthier pitch, ultimately allowing for increased usage.”

Gary Cunningham, Sport & Landscape Sales Manager for Mansfield Sand, plays a crucial role in maintaining the performance of the Fibresand pitch. James explains, “Gary comes in every year to core sample the pitch for a fibre content reading, reports back if a top up is required or not and then we go from there.” This collaborative effort ensures that the pitch remains in optimal condition, with regular assessments and top-ups as needed.

James’ expertise and the use of Mansfield Sand’s Fibresand products have significantly contributed to the success at Colliers Park National Football Development Centre. The Fibresand pitch not only provides a superior playing surface but also offers long-term advantages in terms of durability and maintenance.

For more information visit www.mansfield-sand.co.uk

You can also follow the company on Twitter – @MansfieldSand and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MansfieldSandSportSurfaces/

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ISEKI’s partnership with Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park

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ISEKI’s partnership with Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park: We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park, at Wherstead near Ipswich, owned by television presenter and farmer, Jimmy Doherty. Iseki UK & Ireland has provided an ISEKI TLE3410 HST Tractor for use in multiple roles around the Park.

This collaboration contributes to the ‘Big Bear Rescue’ initiative, their most ambitious project yet, involving the rescue of polar bear Ewa, who has recently arrived safely at Jimmy’s Farm following the closure of the overseas zoo where she was previously living. Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park has now become the largest polar bear reserve in Europe. Additionally, a European brown bear named Diego will be moving to Jimmy’s Farm in May of next year.

ISEKI’s partnership with Jimmy's Farm & Wildlife Park

ISEKI’s partnership with Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park

Jimmy’s Farm is dedicated to promoting an understanding of the natural world and inspiring future generations to safeguard our planet. The need to conserve our planet, habitats, and both indigenous and exotic wildlife has never been greater. To tackle this, Jimmy’s Farm has established an official charity called Space for the Wild.

Space for the Wild will make significant strides towards environmental protection. It plans to establish habitats, advocate for regenerative farming, and rescue and rehabilitate wildlife.

The TLE3410 is a very capable 40hp, 4WD hydrostatic compact tractor. The spacious operator’s platform ensures operator comfort and allows for excellent visibility whilst working. With a rear lift capacity of 1000kg and a double acting auxiliary hydraulic service, the addition of an optional ISEKI-MX loader creates a versatile package ideally suited to work around smallholdings, farms, estates, stables, sportsgrounds and wildlife parks.

Stevie Sheppard, the Park Director, said, ‘The TLE3410 is a great tractor and very useful to us in the day-to-day operation of our farm. Amongst other jobs, it assists us in feeding Ewa the polar bear and the arctic wolves. The operators like it and find it easy and comfortable to operate.’

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ET Lander the extra staff member at Olympic Park

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ET Lander the extra staff member at Olympic Park: The Etesia ET Lander electric utility vehicle is like having an extra member of staff according to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’s Head Gardener Gary Spreadbury.

Following a competitive procurement process, idverde was selected as a grounds maintenance partner for the Queen Elizabeth Park in in early 2012. Ever since then it has been responsible for park, plant and wildlife management and maintenance.

ET Lander the extra staff member at Olympic Park

ET Lander the extra staff member at Olympic Park

Gary Spreadbury has been the Head Gardener at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park since May this year, and he claims his working life has been made a little easier by the Etesia ET Lander.

“What I really like about the ET Lander is that it fits and can manoeuvre in tight spaces around the Olympic Park,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of small paths which big vehicles can’t fit down, so it’s very efficient and time saving. It’s used mainly for the transporting of materials around the site, especially during the winter and autumn months when it comes to the leaf clearing and for the mulching of the gardens.”

100% electric, spacious, well-equipped and user-friendly, the ET Lander is built on a robust chassis and has an array of options including a three-way tipper bed with dual control from the fully fitted two-seater cab or by remote control when outside the vehicle. With a length of just 3.72 meters, the ET Lander is very compact. Thanks to the power steering, the short turning radius of 4.40 meters and 360 ° visibility, it goes anywhere. The autonomy of the vehicle lasts for a full working day – without noise pollution, can transport loads of up to 940kgs and can also tow up to 750kgs.

The latest models are fully N1 homologation compliant meaning that the ET Landers are fully road legal along with being able to be used off road. They also feature lithium-ion batteries which ensures that the range of the ET Lander extends to 100km and have a charger system compatible with a standard type 2EV car charger.

“I’ve used battery powered vehicles before but in my opinion the ET Lander is the best by far,” continued Gary. “It runs a lot smoother and feels like you’re driving a car; it is so light that you could take it onto the pitch without causing damage and it just makes working life a lot easier. The ET Lander is like having an extra member of staff – it’s definitely earning its living and is well worth the money.”

Gary isn’t the only one at the Olympic Park who has been impressed with the ET Lander. Chris James, Contract Manager for idverde, is also upbeat about the innovative electric utility vehicle.

“Aside from its ability to manoeuvre, the ET Lander has lots of other great features such as reversing cameras and the option of adding things to it like PTO’s, salt spreaders and water tanks. I like the fact that it’s got some storage units within the vehicle underneath the body too.

“The all-round visibility from the cab is another key feature that we like about the ET Lander. We have around 6 million visitors through the park each year so it’s essential to be mindful of the public.

“The ET Lander is an absolute must-have vehicle for any grounds maintenance contractor, but I believe that there are a lot of other industries out there that could make use of this vehicle as well.”

idverde purchased the Etesia ET Lander through RT Machinery, and Chris feels as though they are in good hands.

“The communication that I have had with the team at RT Machinery has always been positive and they are quick to respond to emails and questions. Some of our other contracts use RT machinery and they always speak highly of them. The availability and the quality of the products that they’re selling is 100%.”

To see the machine in action at the Olympic Park, please click here.

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.etlander.co.uk

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Etesia UK on Twitter @EtesiaUK and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/EtesiaUK. You can also view the latest Etesia videos by visiting www.youtube.com/EtesiaUK.

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Tewkesbury Park get the break they need

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Tewkesbury Park get the break they need: Protruding roots on fairways and approaches were causing mower damage and affecting play at Tewkesbury Park, but the Imants RootPruner supplied by Campey Turf Care Systems, provided a clean and easy solution.

Removing roots meant excavating around the area, which would cause disruption and look unsightly. For Course Manager Paul Hathaway this was unacceptable because it was at odds with his standards.

Tewkesbury Park get the break they need

Tewkesbury Park get the break they need

The golf resort was recently voted number 50 in the Todays Golfer best golf resorts in Great Britain and Ireland. Keeping these standards on the 6554 yard, par 72 Deerpark course meant finding a solution, and Paul found it in the RootPruner.

“We noticed the roots protruding through the surface of a few approaches and fairways, and these kept being caught by the mower, damaging the blades and putting the mower ‘off-cut’,” Paul explained.

“This was more noticeable during the drought we had last year. We tried to dig and cut them out, but the mess looked unsightly and didn’t stop the roots from coming back. I always feel prevention is better than cure, so I decided to search for a machine to cut the roots near the canopy of the trees so we wouldn’t damage the health of the trees but stop the roots from encroaching into play.

“In the past, I have used an excavator to create a root break, but the disruption this caused wasn’t suitable to the standards we expect the course to be in, so we needed a machine that would create a root break but be efficient, neat and tidy.

“With the RootPruner, we were able to get around the entire course with ease and were very surprised how quick it was. The roots we went over have been removed, so we don’t have any protruding the surface, and so far, we don’t have any new roots coming through, so I am hopeful this will continue.”

The RootPruner cuts roots up to 100mm in diameter with no clean-up, making it useable on the course with no worries of shutting holes through surface damage. It also has the ability to decompact tight, narrow areas with ease and includes a unique patented triple-reduction planetary gearbox for smooth, maximum torque drive to the rotor shaft. The RootPruner also features a factory set, torque limiting PTO shaft eliminating all shear bolts and spring clutches.

For a parkland course, it can be an invaluable machine. Paul heard about it from a club in the local area who have shared similar results, and seeing it on his property once was enough to convince him to purchase his own unit.

“Once we had the demo, we were very impressed with the smoothness, cleanness and size of the roots it would cut,” he said.

“I would definitely recommend the RootPruner for any parkland golf course. It’s a machine that is so quick and easy to use, it will save you downtime and money on repairing mowers which are damaged from hitting tree roots, and also make the surface better from not having roots protruding through the surface.”

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