Tag: Oriam

Oriam completes synthetic pitch renovation project

A major upgrade to the playing surfaces at Oriam is now complete ushering in a new era of sporting excellence at the Edinburgh venue.

The £800,000 project, funded by Heriot-Watt University, has resulted in the renovation of three synthetic pitches. Each was uplifted and then replaced with cutting-edge materials using sustainable innovations.

Such is the quality of the new playing surfaces that they have achieved the prestigious FIFA 2 Star* MX Elite Professional Standard and IRB Compliant World Rugby certification.

This upgrade is expected to have a lasting impact on Oriam’s customers and professional athletes and teams who use the venue, including the Scottish Rugby Union, Scottish Football Association, Heart of Midlothian FC, and Heriot-Watt University Sports Union. It also reaffirms Oriam and Heriot-Watt University as a hub for sport and exercise in Scotland, catering to professional, university, and recreational athletes alike.

The project was led by Oriam’s Head of Operations, John Lowe, and took six months to complete. Reflecting on this achievement, John said: “It has been an honour to oversee the synthetic pitch replacement project.

“Heriot-Watt University’s £800,000 investment not only ensures Oriam remains a leader in world-class sports facilities but also demonstrates remarkable ambition. Completing the project from financial approvals to installation in under eight months is a testament to the dedication of my colleagues and the successful collaboration with Sportex and Sports Labs.”

The refurbishment was carried out by Sportex, a company who specialise in sports surfacing.

Luke McGeechan from Sportex highlighted their commitment to sustainability during the process: “At Sportex, we are proud to support sustainability through our Sportex Recycling programme. By carefully removing, separating, and repurposing the old turf from Oriam, we’ve minimised waste while promoting a more eco-friendly sports industry.”

The arrival of the new playing surfaces highlights the University’s commitment to deliver the best facilities for its students. This continued investment in sport has seen Heriot-Watt attract top sporting talent from across the world through the introduction of a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses and the University’s innovative Sports Scholarship Programme, which allows student athletes to balance their studies whilst continuing to compete at the highest level.

Lynda Johnstone is Global Director of Estates and Facilities at Heriot-Watt University. She said: “This major upgrade to the playing surfaces at Oriam is an £800,000 investment by Heriot-Watt University and showcases our continued commitment to providing world-class facilities for athletes at all levels, from students to professionals.

“By embracing cutting-edge, sustainable innovations, we have reaffirmed Oriam’s position at the heart of sports and exercise in Scotland.”

Swimmer Michael Jamieson makes another big splash

Olympic medallist plans to launch three new Swim Academies in Edinburgh this Autumn

Olympic medallist turned entrepreneur Michael Jamieson is diving into a new pool of business opportunity by opening three new Edinburgh venues for his hugely over-subscribed Swimming Academies.

The Edinburgh initiative will launch on Saturday, 18 September, and each succeeding Saturday, at the University of Edinburgh pool in The Pleasance, which will accommodate 200 learners, and will be followed on 4 October by classes at the Novotel Hermiston Gate pool for adult and baby, under 3-year-olds. Shortly afterwards the Academy will launch classes at Oriam, Heriot Watt University, a 4 days a week offering in a world class sports facility. 

The expansion from his successful West of Scotland operation puts the Michael Jamieson Swimming Academy (MJSA) back into the fast lane after it was hit, like all other people-facing businesses, by the last 18 months of Covid restrictions.

The Academy’s classes at the Glasgow University and Radio Clyde pools are now operating again with 400 and 300 learners respectively, and Hamilton College pool, with capacity for 600 learners, will re-open on Monday, 27th September.

Further expansion in the west will come with the opening of the Argyle Hotel pool in Glasgow for 150 learners on Friday, 1 October.

Michael, 33, who won silver at the 2012 London Olympics, said: “We have a team of over 20 teachers operating in Glasgow and Edinburgh and will be adding to this in the coming months to ensure an efficient transition to our offerings in Edinburgh.

“Pre-Covid we had 800 kids swimming weekly. We are looking to support around 1500 by the turn of the year with the addition of the new facilities. We are also rolling out an educational curriculum alongside our swim programme to support the early development of positive self-talk and early elements of emotional intelligence.

“We have had support from mental health professionals and psychologists to develop this content and it is something I believe will set us apart in the sector.”

The energetic Glaswegian has distinguished his Academy by using private and hotel pools rather than local authority facilities.

He said: “We are able to create a healthy working relationship with private facilities and share in the passion of offering value to the community. We have targeted these venues specifically to offer the best product, with the best partnership teams in the area.

“I have a fantastic relationship with the team at the University of Edinburgh and have many happy memories there. We are excited to partner with them to offer a rewarding learn-to- swim journey now and in the future.”

On the series of drowning deaths across the UK during the recent spells of warm weather, Michael believes this has emphasised to many parents just how important it is to teach children to swim from the earliest possible age.

“There have been too many tragic stories recently in Scotland. Too many kids are leaving school without basic water safety skills. Without significant investment and support, we will continue, sadly, to see the disparity in the numbers of kids unable to swim by the time they leave school.

“Swimming pools are notoriously expensive to maintain but we must find creative strategies to offer a life skill in our communities in a financially sustainable manner.”

After consolidating his Edinburgh Swim Academy initiatives, Michael plans to expand further into a wider range of fitness and healthcare businesses.

“Our immediate plans are to protect and consolidate this exciting growth phase we are in currently. We are actively looking for further venue partners in Glasgow and Edinburgh to keep up with the increasing post pandemic demand for kids’ sport.

“It’s great to see such an appetite for swimming and we are committed to spreading our valued product around Scotland. Our smaller class ratios enable us to ensure our kids have a rewarding experience, building a strong rapport with our Level 2 qualified teachers.

“We maintain a high level of in-house competency training and only employ Level 2 qualified teachers to ensure we are providing the best product in the market. The majority of our teachers are qualified in Mental Health First Aid & this is something we are passionate about continuing.

“It’s an exciting year for us and I am proud of the team we have put in place. Creating sustainable growth is the challenge, but we have the core team and support team behind us to do so.”

Youth rugby team scores prize fit for Pro’s

Ardrossan Accies under 16s won a rare opportunity to spend a day in the shoes of their sporting idols thanks to Courtyard by Marriott Edinburgh West and Oriam.

The four-star hotel, situated on Heriot-Watt University campus, joined forces with Oriam, Scotland’s national performance centre for sport, to offer one lucky team a money-can’t-buy training day – and the Ayrshire youngsters recently redeemed their prize.

The 16 boys spent 24 hours in the life of a professional player, which included a two-hour training session in world class facilities coached by Scottish Rugby Union professional Gavin Scott.

Following the high-octane training at Oriam, they relaxed in the hotel’s Heriot suite – often used by national visiting teams. The suite was kitted out with sofas, an Xbox, projector screen, table tennis table, arcade machine and lots more.

All players were given the VIP treatment including protein-rich lunch, dinner and snacks at The Avenue Lounge & Dining within Courtyard by Marriott Edinburgh West. They then enjoyed an overnight stay within the large, bespoke designed team bedrooms with breakfast before check out.

Team Manager Ali Cairns said: “I entered on behalf of the boys, I think they’re a special group and really deserved an opportunity to be treated like professional players. The team is embedded in the local area and is always looking at ways to help others – it was great to give something back to them.”

Comments from the team throughout their VIP day included; ‘wow’, ‘best experience ever’, ‘superb training session’, ‘I wish my bedroom at home looked like this’ and ‘if this is what winning gets you, I want to win more often’.

Ali added: “For me, it was amazing to see the boys being spoiled. The hotel team made every one of them feel special and the Oriam experience was superb thanks to our coach for the afternoon, Gav Scott.”

Will Macpherson, General Manager at Courtyard by Marriott Edinburgh West, said: “With world class sporting facilities next door, we regularly accommodate sports teams and travelling athletes in our custom designed guestrooms. We wanted to offer a youth team the opportunity to train like a pro and spend a day in the shoes of their sporting heroes.

“Our competition asked amateur teams to apply with an email explaining why their team should have this ‘professional athlete experience’ and the application from Ardrossan stood out to us. We’re delighted Ardrossan Accies had such a great experience with us – we hope they’ve been inspired and we wish them the best of luck for their future sporting careers.”

Courtyard by Marriott Edinburgh West is operated by RBH, the UK’s leading independent hotel management company.

www.rbhmanagement.com

Back of the net! Primary pupils showcase their talent in first student-led football tournament

A group of Edinburgh College students brought together schools for a day of football fun at Oriam, Scotland’s national performance excellence centre at Heriot-Watt’s Riccarton Campus. Continue reading Back of the net! Primary pupils showcase their talent in first student-led football tournament