A full-size soccer field with artificial turf and an economical lighting solution will soon be constructed at the indoor facility of the Mustamäe campus of Tallinn University of Technology. The facility is currently expected to be completed by Christmas 2022.
The university and the football club wish to improve people’s physical fitness and promote exercise. The facility will be accessible to the students and staff of the university, as well as sports enthusiasts from outside the university. The air dome will be built on the university’s sports ground on Raja Street.
Hendrik Voll, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs at Tallinn University of Technology, stated that the university values quality education and wishes to contribute to Estonian culture and sports. As examples of this, he named the university’s alumni Irina Embrich and Erika Kirpu, who won gold medals in Tokyo in 2021. Voll added: ‘Our university participates in team sports in Estonian championship leagues in basketball, volleyball, and table tennis. Now we have set our sights on getting the ball rolling in soccer too.’
Joel Lindpere from Tallinna Kalev football club asserted that collaboration in the construction of an air dome is the dream of every Estonian club. He added: ‘This partnership between sports and first-class education with TalTech will give a fresh impetus to our club, and I am certain that together we will come up with some great ideas for athletes and students, as well as for the district of Mustamäe.’
Lindpere’s club-mate Ragnar Klavan said: ‘How and who we will realise our visions with in the future matters deeply to me. Today, I can say that TalTech, with their developments in education as well as sports, is the perfect partner for us, and we hope to respond in kind.’
TalTech stands out from other teams in that the core members of their sports teams are all students of the university.
Currently, there are two air domes with a full-size soccer field in Tallinn. The new air dome will improve opportunities to exercise for soccer enthusiasts and athletes in the districts of Mustamäe and Nõmme; bringing the necessary facilities closer to their homes, and making them available in any weather. In addition, it will offer a convenient training site for those travelling by train from Saue and Keila.