Transforming Sport and Spaces in Bhutan
Polytan install 5 sports facilities including world-class Rekortan tracks in the Eastern Himalayas’ happy place
Bhutan, a small landlocked country nestled in the Eastern Himalayas, is bordered by China to the north and by India to the south, east and west. It is also where you may be most likely to find happiness. Here, progress is measured not by GDP but by GNH - Gross National Happiness. The regular GNH Index survey collects data on various aspects of life including health, psychological well-being, living standards, education, community vitality and psychological well-being. This prioritisation of happiness over economic growth speaks to a unique culture in a country of stunning landscapes.
So, Sport Group, with our mission to transform sport and spaces which, ultimately, help people and communities to live happier, healthier lives, was thrilled to be chosen to deliver a very special project there. Two years on from its initiation, we caught up with Polytan Asia’s Janet Goh, who is leading the project, to find out more.
What does the project in Bhutan entail?
We have been chosen to work on five facilities which are spread across the country and include the installation of three eight-lane and two six-lane Rekortan M tracks. At the center of each of them, we are laying 5 world-class LigaTurf soccer pitches. In addition, we have created a tailored Laykold surface specifically for the project. By modifying the coating of our indoor polyurethane courts for the Bhutan climate, we’re also providing 18 outdoor volleyball courts and 18 Polyplay SE outdoor basketball courts. So, it is a big and complex job, all being completed at 2,000m above sea-level which has taken our teams into remote areas of this fascinating country.
“It is a great vision and one we’re especially proud to be involved with as health and nurturing vibrant sport and leisure that are a vital heartbeat of communities is so aligned with our mission as a business.”
What is the motivation behind these spaces?
The project is being funded by the King of Bhutan who recognizes that Bhutan’s youth is the future. His vision for the National Training Centers we are helping to create is that they provide both physical and intellectual development opportunities for Bhutan’s school graduates and give them a reason to stay. By investing in their health, wellbeing and prospects, including special focus on IT, agriculture and medicine, he is securing the future health of the country. It is a great vision and one we’re especially proud to be involved with as health and nurturing vibrant sport and leisure are a vital heartbeat of communities and align with our mission as a business.
How did the project come about?
I was originally contacted by an architect in Singapore who was involved in the project. When she explained the scope, it felt surreal. I’d never been to Bhutan and the project was extremely ambitious. It quickly became clear that I needed to talk directly to the client in Bhutan and see the country for myself which was an amazing opportunity because it had long been on my bucket-list.
My approach wasn’t a hard sell. It was about really understanding the requirements of the job and advising on which products would be best suited to the job. I asked questions, I listened, and I drew on over 30 years of experience in the industry to ensure we were equipped to deliver against what was required.
Why was Polytan ultimately chosen for the job?
Firstly, it was about relationships. I was able to build the trust and respect of the client by taking a professional, transparent and collaborative approach and by really getting to grips with what was involved and how we could best answer it.
Secondly, we had an amazing team including our lead engineer, Mr. V. Saravana Kumar, and installation partner, Advance Sports Builder, led by Mr. KL Chang. The Bhutan project involved an international tender, and one of the reasons we were selected was that we were able to deliver much more technical support, including supporting with the design, engineering and technical oversight of all the construction. This included designing the facilities so they would meet World Athletics Class 2 and FIFA accreditation standards. Rekortan has the most World Athletics-certified tracks, so our experience in this area is second-to-none. They knew they could trust us.
You have visited Bhutan three times now. What was your first site visit like?
My first visit was in August 2022. My original intention was to go for three days but the person responsible for organizing my visa just laughed at me. They told me I needed at least two weeks, ideally a month and they were right. I just hadn’t appreciated the size and geography of the place.
We were still in COVID-19 restrictions so myself and Saravana spent a day in quarantine and then embarked on the most challenging route of my life. 70% of Bhutan is mountainous and on one day we drove for 16 hours on twisty narrow roads with enormous drop-offs into ravines. I was trembling in the front of the car but was still fascinated enough to record it! We’d stop when it got dark and then pick up the journey again the next day. In total we spent 12 days on the road that first visit and then a further 10 days in the capital Thimphu before leaving with a signed letter of intent.
And the following trips…?
The following trips were no less spectacular and after each one I have come home with an extension to the project including the outdoor sport courts and now a contract for supplying sports equipment. Providing a trusted one-stop-shop for all the project needs as part of Sport Group’s offering has been a huge advantage and we’re privileged to be part of delivering such an ambitious initiative.
What has it taken to actually deliver the project on the ground?
Our installation partner Mr. KL Chang and his team has done an outstanding job with very limited resources and the significant challenge of monsoons, landslides and extreme geography. To give you an idea of the reality, one of the crew lost 10kgs over the last six months because food resources are more limited than they are used to, and the physical demands are so high.
In terms of training, we hosted five young technicians from Bhutan who came to Australia for a month. During this time, we trained them to be able to maintain and repair tracks and turfs. They worked on one of our track jobs in Sydney and they did a fantastic job. They now have the skills and knowledge not only to install these tracks but to help ensure they last through good care and maintenance. Polytan Asia’s international expertise combined with our crew’s local knowledge has been a winning formula.
How close are you to completion?
We’ve made incredible progress turning what felt like a surreal dream into reality. Work has been on hold over the monsoon season as moisture can cause major issues when laying a new sport surface. We’re just starting up again now. The Rekortan M tracks are complete as are the LigaTurf football fields. The outdoor sports courts will be finished by mid-October and the FIFA and World Athletics testers will arrive to certify the facilities in November. We hope to have wrapped up this milestone project by the end of December which will make it a mammoth and very fulfilling two and a half years.
Rekortan is part of the world’s biggest installation network. Rekortan is available in North America and globally through our network of expert installation partners, and via Polytan in EMEA and Asia Pacific.