27 Dec 2016
Atlanta train stations fitted with football pitches to empower youth through sport
BY Kim Megson
A youth organisation has opened the “world’s first” train station football pitch at a site in Atlanta, US.
Soccer in the Streets – which empowers underserved youth through sports-based training, mentoring and employability programmes – has developed the Station Soccer project in collaboration with the foundation of Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise Atlanta United.
The facility – created by local artificial turf supplier GreenFields USA and Musco/Cree Lighting – has been built inside the perimeter of Five Points metro station, which serves the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority.
The aim is for the site to become a flagship for urban football, with plans in place to create easily-accessible pitches at ten other Atlanta metro stations. The Atlanta United Foundation will fund the scheme and also initiate grassroots football pitches in local schools.
“By building a network of communities around transit we are integrating youth and adults while we grow the soccer culture and giving access to all,” said Soccer in the Streets’ board member Sanjay Patel. “We do hope to make the vision of a league of stations become a reality”.
Soccer in the Streets is introducing adult leagues at Station Soccer. Every dollar spent by adult teams to use the pitches will help fund youth programmes in the community.
“Our organisation is spearheading a social enterprise approach,” said the organisation’s executive director Phil Hill. “In order to increase the reach of our free youth programmes, we are determined to employ a sustainability model based on adult leagues, providing a great urban soccer experience for players”.
Designers and community groups are increasingly seeking innovative ways of integrating football pitches into dense urban areas. Architecture studio AL_A recently outlined their wish to build stackable 5-a-side football pitches to derelict sites in London, while three purpose-built pitches with spectator seating were erected in Glasgow’s George Square this year for the 2016 Homeless Football World Cup.
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