Island sports teams of all ages look set to benefit from a £114,000 revamp of the Queensgate astro-pitch in East Cowes when it reopens to the public today (Monday 24 April).
In a bid to keep the pitch onside it now meets football's world governing body FIFA standards.
The original pitch was a 15 year old multi-use games surface which was well past its best.
The old surface was ripped up before work began to upgrade the outdoor space in Beatrice Avenue with an all-weather 3G pitch that can be enjoyed at the grass-roots level of the sport.
Councillor Julie Jones-Evans, Cabinet member responsible for leisure, described the new facility as a huge asset to the Island community and a game-changer for around 30 local teams who use it on a weekly basis.
She said:
"I am so pleased to see this popular facility has been completely transformed with a brand new 3G pitch that I’m sure will provide positive benefit to the health and well-being to many of our residents.
"We are all aware of the benefits of exercise both physically and mentally so we want to encourage as much participation as possible.
"This new facility will help us to achieve just that while also providing a fantastic incentive to encourage greater outdoor participation for all within the community."
The pitch is fully floodlit and can be used for eight-a-side football or split into two five-a-side pitches.
Funding for the project came partly from financial contributions from developers — so-called Section 106 contributions — for community facilities.
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