Sports Complex Humboldtstrasse, Cologne, Germany

The “Schäl Sick” – for many years, this derogatory term was used by Cologners on the left side of the Rhine about the other side of the Rhine. The right side – or rather the “wrong” side of the Rhine – was home to Deutz, Leverkusen or even Düsseldorf. And Porz, which is now part of Cologne. On Humboldtstrasse, between the Cologne-Porz municipal secondary school and the sports club Gymnasial-Sportverein Porz e.V., is the school sports facility. In 2021/2022, a running circuit enclosing a natural grass field and a sprinting track with up to seven lanes were renovated with Polytan’s Rekortan M, allowing the facility to be used by the athletics club, the municipal sports association and school sports department at the same time. In the summer of 2023, the second part of the extensive project began. This includes a large synthetic turf football field, a soccer court, a multipurpose field for basketball and badminton, and a fitness and climbing area, as well as a sand pitch for beach volleyball and an electronic go

al shooting wall.

Various surfaces from Polytan were used in the design of the sports complex. The large playing field is surfaced with our LigaTurf Cross synthetic turf system, which combines straight and textured filaments. The benefits of both textile fibre types are combined in one ideal surface, with a look and feel that is barely distinguishable from real football turf and is used successfully in professional sport worldwide. Thanks to its textured filaments, LigaGrass Cross ensures low and easy maintenance, while providing greater infill stability and increased turf volume. The football pitch on Humboldtstrasse can be divided into two mini-pitches, allowing it to be used by two groups at once.

The miniature playing field is laid out as a soccer court and features a digital goal shooting wall. Both areas are surfaced with LigaGrass Pro with CoolPlus function. This textured synthetic turf is the perfect solution for municipal sports, as well as school and club sports. It began its winning streak with the DFB campaign “1,000 Miniature Playing Fields for Germany”, which became one of the most popular and enduring projects after the World Cup in Germany, with the aim of enthusing young people for football. Alongside synthetic turf, Polytan’s soccer court complete system also includes goals, barriers and ball nets.

The multipurpose field was realised using PolyPlay SE, our durable all-round surface, which at Humboldstrasse is used for basketball and badminton in particular. Thanks to its smooth surface and favourable ball-bouncing properties, this single-layered surface is ideal for ball sports in schools, as well as for a variety of outdoor activities. Its water-permeable surface allows the playing field to dry very quickly, so it can be used year-round in all weathers. Another benefit is its slip resistance, high wear resistance and low maintenance. The black lines on the playing field are for basketball; the light green lines, for badminton.

The fitness and climbing area is surfaced with our fall protection surface PolyPlay FS GT in a special brown tone. This classic among fall protection surfaces is primarily used in various thicknesses as a shock-absorbing layer on playgrounds. The bulk-coated, water-permeable surface is extremely low-maintenance and, thanks to its cushioning effect, protects against injuries in the event of falls. Optimal resistance to weathering and decay guarantees a long lifespan and low maintenance costs.

Today, the “schäl Sick” no longer has negative connotations; on the contrary, its residents are proud to live on Cologne’s “other side”. In the renovation of the sports complex in Cologne-Porz, the project clients are definitely on the right side in opting for surfaces from Polytan’s extensive product portfolio.