Bocce Facility

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To accomplish its mission, the City Bocce Club needs to build a bocce facility (see Figure 38).

The City Bocce Facility (Appendix 1 – Drawings 6 & 7) would consist of the following:

	an 8-court bocce sport area,
	a 4-court recreational bocce area,
	roof to cover both areas,
	bleachers for spectators and players,

	clubhouse,
	open and communications spaces,
	playground for children,
	outer fence surrounding the facility.

8-Court Bocce Sport Area

A bocce sport court is a rectangular court, 27,50 m long and 3 m wide. The court surface must be uniformly even. The best base is asphalt covered with a uniform layer of sand of a thickness 4 mm and a granulation 0 - 4 mm.

In its entirety, the City Bocce Facility would have 8 such bocce courts in parallel (Figure 39), (Appendix 1 – Drawings 8 and 9). The separation space between every two courts is 40 cm wide except the space between the fourth and fifth one, which is 2,80 m wide. The space between the outside lines of the first and eighth court and the side safety fence of the court complex is 40 cm wide.

The total playing dimensions of the 8-court bocce sport area will be 28,50 m long by 30 m wide, with an overall area of 855 square meters.

Two teams with four people each can play on each court; hence, this 8-court bocce sport complex would allow 64 players at one time.

Along the front sides of the court complex would be a safety fence 30 m long and 2 m high (Appendix 1 – Drawings 10, 11, 12, and 13). Along the side edges of the first and eighth court from front fences would be metal or plastic fences 8 m long and 1 m high (Appendix 1 – Drawings 14 and 15). The openings on the net have to be smaller than 3,3 cm. These fences are used to prevent bocce balls and the jack from landing in the bleachers during the game. The specifications of the court complex safety fences are shown in the Table 2.

Along the bottom of the front safety fences in height of 50 cm from the court complex surface would be a rubber conveyor belt (rubber sheet) of a thickness of 12,7 mm. Along the bottom part of the side safety fences would be a rubber sheet of a height of 25 cm with a thickness of 12,7 mm.

These rubber sheets have the function of stopping the bocce balls and preventing them from exiting the court area.

On both of the front sides of the safety fence would be platforms for storing players’ bocce sport bags and equipment, as well as containers for bocce balls for both teams on each court (2 containers per court). Each container should have the capacity to hold 8 bocce balls. Official scoreboards and clocks (Figure 40 to 42) would be installed on the front sides of the court area on the safety fences.

The minimum space between the safety fence of the court area and the bleachers must be 1,25 m wide.

Figure 157: City Bocce Facility

4-Court Recreational Bocce Area

This recreational area will consist of 4 courts for recreation play (Figure 43 and Appendix 1 – Drawings 16 and 17). The dimensions and other elements of a single court are the same as the court described in the 8-court bocce sport complex, except that a rectangle of 2 m and rectangle of 0,50 m are integrated into one rectangle of 2,5 m on both sides of the court (Appendix 1 – Drawings 18 and 19).

There are no sidelines of the court; instead, wood compartments of a height of 30 cm and thickness of 12 cm and 19 cm are built along the sides. This is because recreational bocce rules are different and simpler than those of sport of bocce. Similar compartments are built along the front sides of all 4 courts with rubber bands on them. The separation space between the courts 2 and 3 is 2 m.

The safety fences are to be assembled the same way as on the 8-sport court complex.

The front of this complex would have 4-tier bleachers with a capacity of 200 spectators.

The total playing dimensions of the 4-court recreational bocce area will be 28,50 m long and 14,86 m wide, with an overall area of 423,51 square meters.

The Bocce Facility Roof Construction

The bocce facility should have a roof so that play can continue uninterrupted in inclement weather. The roof also protects the surface of the court complex from weather-related deterioration.

The Bleachers

Athletic bocce draws those who love the sport, and as a new and very different sport, provokes the interest of those who have never seen it before. It would be necessary to have bleachers (Figure 44) in the bocce facility. The seating capacity of the bleachers should allow for approximately up to 1,000 spectators.

The bleachers should be tiered to allow the best possible view of the game.

The Clubhouse

A Clubhouse (Appendix 1 – Drawings 20) built next to the court complex would have rooms for meetings, training, presentations, a restaurant or refreshment area for players and the public, a dressing room for players; restrooms and showers; storage rooms for equipment; and a utility room for maintenance of the facility. The total dimensions of the Clubhouse would be 20 m long and 6 m wide, with a total area of 120 square meters.

Multipurpose Open Area

The spaces between the 4-court and 8-court areas (open area) are conceived in such a way that they enable the most effective communication and connection of all parts of the bocce facility. They can be used for ceremonies, summer restaurant, and other events in the City Bocce Facility.

Play Area for Children

Since many players and bocce sport lovers often come with their younger children, the bocce facility should include a miniature playground.

The Bocce Facility Outer Fence

The entire perimeter of the bocce facility would be fenced and have appropriate signage. The buildings would be esthetically arranged so that the facility would harmoniously fit with its surroundings. The facility should have a specific visual identification that would make it eye-catching and attractive for the participants and spectators, as well as for passersby.

The total dimensions of the facility will be 69,65 m long and 45,10 m wide, with an overall area of 3.141,21 square meters.

Potential Facility Location

A bocce facility could be built at a location that would be either next to a park (Figure 45) in City or even in some other appropriate location that would satisfy the basic criteria of this project.

With all the necessary financial resources, the bocce facility could be started as a complete project. However, if full financing was not immediately available, then the facility could be built in phases. In this way, each phase of the bocce facility could be put in use immediately upon completion.