© Stadt Bocholt
Happy about the opening of the new artificial turf pitch: (from left) Dirk Lueg (Department of Schools and Sport), Werner de Vos (DJK Barlo board), Pastor Rafael van Straelen, First City Councillor Björn Volmering, Rainer Venhorst (City Councillor), Vedat Ergün (City Councillor), Franz-Josef Kalmer (DJK Diocesan Association) and Thomas Siemen (DJK Barlo board)

08. December 2025Sport

DJK Barlo's new artificial turf pitch opened

Sports centre grows together: New pitch replaces cinder area // Cinder becomes residential area

After a construction period of just three and a half months, the city of Bocholt officially opened the new artificial turf pitch at DJK Barlo on Saturday. The modern, sand-filled pitch replaces the previous cinder pitch and can be used all year round in future. The measure is part of the city's sports facility development planning and will strengthen the sporting infrastructure of the Barlo district in the long term.

The artificial turf pitch was built as planned on the area to the east of the existing grass pitch and will form a contiguous sports facility in future. Previously, the two pitches were separated by a few hundred metres.

The new structure not only improves the sporting conditions, but also safety around the facility. With the modern LED floodlight system, training and matches are now possible all year round.

"What you see here is the result of good planning and hard work", said Bocholt's First City Councillor and Head of the Sports Department Björn Volmering at the opening on St Nicholas Saturday. He pointed out the short construction time of three and a half months: "This is record time", said Volmering.

He congratulated the club's board and the guests in attendance and thanked the club and the contractors for their "exemplary cooperation". "We are delighted that it still worked out this year", said Werner de Vos, second chairman of DJK Barlo.

The pitch was then officially blessed by priest Rafael van Straelen.