Everton new stadium: Major landmark reached as pitch preparation begins

Goodison Park has been hallowed turf in the eyes of Evertonians for 132 years since they left Anfield for England’s first purpose-built football ground in 1892 but the preparation work for the pitch at their new stadium has now underway.

Here is a round-up of that latest milestone at Bramley-Moore Dock and other off-the-field news at Everton over the past week.

Everton new stadium project hits another landmark as work underway on pitch

Contractors have arrived on site at Everton Stadium to start the latest significant feature of the development, with the first job to remove the recycled stone initially laid to provide a solid surface for the heavy duty equipment used in the construction of the waterfront landmark. Work to help with the installation of features including undersoil heating will then follow with plans to start planting grass seed around August.

The starting point for the pitch preparation is the removal of that layer of stone, known as a piling mat. Beyond that, the focus is on the pitchside ducting, which is key for the installation of cabling for match broadcasters, irrigation piping, undersoil heating and drainage. The pitch will then be built in layers.

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Ben Williams, package manager for Laing O’Rourke, who is overseeing the pitch development, explained: “At the minute, we are just concentrating on the initial stages of those ducting and utility installations. SEL Environmental will then return around July to install the root layers, all of the drainage and irrigation and build up the layers, and we’re hoping to start planting grass seed around August time.”

Once the seeding is complete in early October, synthetic fibres will be stitched into the roots of the grass. The fibres, which will ultimately cover around 5% of the playing surface, are designed to interlock with the growing grass to strengthen it.

Blues trio help launch Pass on the Memories programme

Everton in the Community have entered a long-term partnership with Christopher Ward, official global timing partner of Everton Football Club, to fund its long-standing Pass on the Memories programme which supports older people living with dementia and their carers.

The new three-year partnership with the mechanical watchmaker will also see them develop an intergenerational project focused on time and innovation. Celebrating the past, present and future through a series of engaging and interactive projects, the innovative intergenerational project will engage participants from Pass on the Memories and young participants from the charity’s E-STEAM project and help them share memories while learning new skills.

First-team trio Dominic Calvert-Lewin, James Tarkowski and James Garner paid a visit to the charity’s Digital Skills Lab to officially launch Everton in the Community’s new partnership with Christopher Ward and see the new intergenerational project in action. Joined by participants from Pass on the Memories and pupils from Netherton Moss Primary School, the players got stuck into an ice-breaker activity using immersive sensory learning tools to help communication, coordination and fine motor skills before taking part in a LEGO Education session to build fairground rides, using basic coding and programming whilst having discussions with the participants about their memories of days at the fair in years gone.

Launched in 2013, Pass on the Memories supports people living with dementia and encourages them to share important memories and have fun with like-minded people. The programme provides vital respite to the carers where they are able to discuss issues and share experiences to build more robust social support networks.

Delivered twice-weekly, Pass on the Memories provides a wide range of wellbeing and reminiscence-based activities to support participants’ social, physical and mental wellbeing from musical memories to art therapy and exciting trips out with the aim of enhancing quality of life, reducing social isolation and supporting cognitive function and memory recall.

Everton in the Community CEO Sue Gregory said: “In Liverpool City Region, more than 15,000 people are currently living with dementia and our Pass on the Memories programme provides a lifeline to those individuals and their carers. Thanks to the valuable support from Christopher Ward, we can sustain and grow our provision and help to create a brighter future for those living with dementia.

“The intergenerational arm of the new funding will enable us to provide social benefits to both age groups with our older participants learning new skills from those younger, whilst our younger participants will learn about past experiences which will help create new memories and experiences which will last a lifetime.”