HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 04-19-2005-9cREVISED 04/18/05
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: April 19, 2005
Action Agenda
Item No. Q--G
SUBJECT: Potential Maple View Soccer Field Project
DEPARTMENT: ERCD /Recreation and Parks
PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT
1) March 2004 Staff Report
2) Soccer Superfund Guidelines
3) 2003 Approved Site Plan
INFORMATION CONTACT:
David Stancil, 245-2590
Lori Taft, 245-2660
Craig Benedict, 245-2585
TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Durham 688-7331
Mebane 336-227-2031
PURPOSE: To consider action regarding a proposed soccer field on land leased at Maple
View Farm.
BACKGROUND: In March 2002, the County entered into a lease agreement with the Nutter
Family Limited Partnership III for use of a six-acre parcel of land along Rocky Ridge Road as
a potential soccer field. The Nutter family, owners of Maple View Farm, leased the property
for $1/year to the County to create a location for a possible soccer field for daytime use to
help mitigate the lack of soccer fields in the County highlighted by the 2000 Soccer
Symposium Task Force report.
In November 2002, the Board approved a site design of the proposed Maple View Soccer
Field, and the site plan was submitted and approved in ~)anuary 2003. Construction drawings
and documents were prepared, and the project was placed for bid in February 2003. Bids
were received from three contractors on Febn~ary 18, 2003, with the low bidder at $251,000.
In the spring of 2003, staff worked with the existing bid to identify changes to lower the
projected cast.
Because of the higher-than-expected cost of construction, the County undertook an
evaluation of the potential project. In March of 2004, a report from staff in ERCD, Recreation
and Parks and Planning was generated (attached) which identified four potential options for
the project.
REVISED 04/18/05
The options identified at that time were:
2
A.. No-build: Look for other land and potential economies of scale
B. Re-bid with Refinements and Build: Re-bid the project as based an refinements with the
low-bidder, with the hope of achieving new bids in the range of $200,000-215,000 (please see
note below)
C. Public-Private Partnership: Re-bid and build field same as B above, but ask Orange County
Soccer Alliance or other organization(s) to participate in funding portions of the project (such
as irrigation and landscaping)
D. Award Matching Grant and Let Others Build -Forego the project as a County project, but
consider awarding a grant from the Soccer Superfund for part of the funding needed to an
organization(s) willing to build the field. The organization(s) would then work with the Maple
View owners regarding the field construction. This option may require amendment to the lease
In the year that has transpired, the landscape has changed somewhat regarding the larger
picture of soccer fields in the County. Southern Park, a Town of Chapel Hill park funded b,y
Orange County, is in the midst of permit approval and would construct for three new soccer
fields south of Chapel Hill projected to open in 2007-08. A revised Master Plan for Twin
Creeks Park has been developed that shows 4 soccer fields, and two would likely be
proposed for Phase I of the park (currently projected for 2009), And, in 2004, work was
undertaken of the West Ten Soccer Center, located adjacent to the new Orange County
Middle School #3 on West Ten Road. The site has been graded and, consistent with the site
plan, would acrommodafe 6 soccer fields at some point in the future. As such, 13 new
soccer fields are now further along in the process since the Maple View Field was originally
conceived,
Staff that worked on the March 2004 staff report reconvened last week to review the project,
and would note that - in addition to the new frelds being proposed above -some other
factors have changed:
• As regards Option B above, it is likely that the cost of constructing the field as
designed will be higher now (perhaps considerably so) than the bid received in 2003
($214-251,000), due fo passage of time and increased construction costs;
• The maintenance of an isolated soccer field poses some operation and maintenance
issues in terms of staff time and maintenance costs;
• With the pre-grading work already done at the West Ten Soccer Center, it may be
possible to place a field or two in service at that site for the same cost as construction
of this field;
• While the possibility for public-private partnerships and matching grants were options
in 2004, there is no recent discussion of the potential for these options, and
substantial changes are taking place within soccer organizations at this time. The
now-adopted Soccer Superfund guidelines may also preclude investment of those
funds in this facility, unless this project is considered to be "grandfathered" (it was
under consideration prior to these guidelines being adopted); and
• However, the potential for another entity fo work with the Nutter Family on a field
remains a possibility.
REVISED 04/18/05
Regardless of the eventual disposition of the project, the County is very grateful to the Nutter
Family for their generosity and civic-mindedness in offering this land for a soccer field,
FINANCIAL IMPACT: A February 2003 low bid (no longer valid) for the project was
$251,000. It was noted in 2003 that changes to the scope of work could produce a project of
an estimated $200,000 -although this is likely to be low now, due to passage of time, If the
County proceeds with this project, it would need to be re-bid.
The funding for field construction was planned to come from the Soccer Superfund
($1,02.5,000 remaining), and potential contributions from the Qrange County Soccer Alliance
(amounts unknown).
RECOMMENDATION(S): As the Board decides
~'
MEMORANDUM
To: Board of Commissioners
Jolm Link, County Manager
From: Maple View Staff Work Group (David Stanch, Lori Taft, Craig Benedict)
SuUject: Maple View Field Report
Date: Mazch 31, 2004
On May 20, 2003, the Board of Commissioners discussed several options for the Maple
View Soccer Field proposal. As a result of that discussion, Commissioners Brown and
,Jacobs were appointed to work with staff to prepaze a report on the status of the field and
possible actions,
Due to other pressing business, the Task Force was not able to meet until October 1. At
that time, the Task Force asked staff to prepaze a report addressing three major points:
1. The potential interest among soccer orgazuzations in taking over the County's
lease and operating the proposed field.
2. Consider the possibility of a matching grant program from the Soccer Superfund,
with certain parameters (this has been incorporated into the proposed Soccer
Superfund Guidelines awaiting Board review), and
3. Quantifying, to the degree possible, the "economy of scale" cost savings that
could be generated by building multiple fields as opposed to a single, stand-alone
field
4. The potential for a prototype soccer field and ideal usage pazameters, based on
this experience in designing, gaining appropriate permit approvals, bid process
and projected construction costs.
In the late-fall and winter, staff developed the following report to address these issues:
Issue #1 Potential fox' Soccer Organization Assumption of Protect
Staff has discussed the possibility of allowing a soccer organization (or a confederation
of organizations such as the Orange County Soccer Alliance, or OCSA) to take over this
project with OCSA representatives. As part of this discussion, it was noted that the site
plan requirements and field design standards would still be required for fire project, as it
was approved.
hi response, the representatives indicated that at this time they are not hnterested in
assuming responsibility for the project, although all express interest in seeing the field
constructed. In general, for primarily financial reasons, the soccer organizations would be
more interested in a partnership where they contribute to the maintenance and
management of soccer fields, rather than field construction. The organization
representatives indicated that raisuig funds and in-kind services for field upkeep and
management were more doable, in their opinion, than the larger "up-front" capital
investments that would be needed for field construction..
Issue #2 Matcluna Grants from the Soccer Superfund for Field Construction
This possibility was addressed in the proposed Soccer Superfund Guidelines, received by
the Board of February 2nd and adopted on March 16. This concept would create a
mechanism whereby qualifying organizations would be able to apply for funding
assistance (as funds are available) from the County's Soccer Superfund to assist with
field construction or land acquisition..
The ultimate approval of the Soccer Superfund guidelines included a matching grant
progranz, but for other public agencies only, However, this project was initiated prior to
the Soccer Superfund guidelines, so it is uncleaz whether the guidelines would apply to
potential matching grants for this project.
Discussion with the soccer organizations to date has generated little no interest in
pazticipating in the field construction.
Issue # 3 Economies of Scale in Multiple Field Construction
As the bids were received for Maple View Field, and staff analyzed the reasons for the
higher than anticipated costs, one of the points noted was the lack of economies of scale
that might be seen for construction of a single stand-alone field as opposed to building
multiple fields.
hr general, a single stand-alone field built to full-size standazds requires pazking,
landscaping, grading and other costs that were all attributable to the single field, driving
the cost per field upward, Consensus among both staff and outside design and pazk
construction colleagues was that the construction of multiple fields (as in a pazk) tends to
create a lower cost "per field," as grading, parking, lighting and other amenities costs can
be shared and allocated among multiple fields, making for a lower "per field" cost.
Staff contacted a number of different local govenunents and soccer organizations to
attempt to quantify this generally-accepted concept. Organizations and local governments
that have built multi-field groupings all agreed that cost savings were realized when all
grading was done at one time, and when lighting fixtures were shared by multiple fields,
but none were able to quantify exactly how much was saved.
Two examples that maybe of help as compazisons are Greensboro's Bryan Pazlc soccer
complex, and the Capital Area Soccer League (or CASL,) complexes in Morrisville and
Raleigh.
CO
In Greensboro, at the new Bryan Pazk, five full-size soccer fields and one 150 by 270 foot
field is in use. These fields are bunched together on 15 acres of land in the park. There
aze no lights at this complex, but there is irrigation of the fields and the project included
the application of sod surfaces. Along with .350 parking spaces (shared by the park), this
facility was constructed for $1,000,000, Grading of the site was approximately''/z of the
cost.
CASL owns and/or operates several multi-field soccer panics tluoughaut Wake County.
At the WRAL Soccer center, CASL has 25 fields. The adult fields are 150 feet by .300
feet, although some of the fields have a width of 195 feet. Most of these fields aze
irrigated and have a Bermuda mix (rye or fescue).
At CASL's Cedar Fork complex, there are 8 fields that aze 150 feet by 300 feet in size.
Some of these are imgated, with a mix of fescue and Bermuda grass.
The CASL Facilities Manager could not say exactly how much money was saved with
multi-field arrangements, but that a typical field should cost around $125,000,
In terms of field configurations, field construction in multiples of two appear to offer
potential economies of scale for lighting, fencing, pazlting and other infrastructure. Four-
field configurations were the preferred design of some park designers, although any
multiple of two would likely offer benefits in this area.
Additional details on CASL and Greensboro's field building experiences can be found in
Attaclunent 1.
Issue #4 Prototype Soccer Field Design Standards and Optnnal Field Usage
Over the last several months, the benefits of having a prototype field as a standazd for
new soccer (and related field sports) fields were noted. Having a prototype would create
common expectations about the size of the field, the orientation of the field, the field
design specifics (such as drainage methods) and perhaps the field surface (if desired).
The draft prototype field on the following page was created by the County's Open Space
Design Specialist as a starting point for this concept, hi this case, the field design would
be:
A full-size soccer field (defined as 225 feet by 360 feet) that can also
accommodate other like field sports (such as lacrosse and field hockey).. Soccer
organizations have been interested in ensuring that fields be full-size to
accommodate all levels of play.
The field can also be turned "sideways" to accommodate two youth sized fields,
or a smaller adult-sized field of 195 feet by 300 feet.
The proposed orientation for the fields would be north/south for sunlight/glare
reasons
The design as shown does not reflect drau7age or field surface types, as these decisions
may need to be considered on a case-by-case basis,
Field Drainage
Field drainage could be accomplished by either a "crowned" field with a slope of 1-1 '/z
%, or a sheet or a modified hip slope. There is disagreement among field designers and
field managers about the pros and cons of each approach. We recommend that the site
features (the lay of the land), other standards or rules (as in watersheds), and the planned
use of the field should be considered on a case-by-case basis as drainage is addressed.
Fleld Surface
Tit terms of field surface, field development costs can be lowered by using the approach
of developing ovei the natural soils present on site, Once the grass has begun to establish
itself, the soil can be modified the soil with periodic top dressing which can be performed
in house, We feel this is a preferred approach in most cases, although in some situations
the application of sod as a field surface may be warranted, Both surface topes have
limitations that largely relate to overuse -grass fields, if used too frequently/extensively
and in poor weather, can be damaged to the point that fields must be rotated out of
commission for a growing season, Sod surfaces can also not withstand heavy usage in
poor weather or overuse for extended periods without being lost to damage, Within the
County's boundaries, there have been occasions in the past two yeazs where both grass
and sod field surfaces have been closed down because of overuse,
Field design should allow for movement of the goal mouth areas.
Additional ideas and rationale for the prototype design can be found as Attachment 2.
The draft prototype field shown here was designed using staff and work group
discussions, landscape and athletic field design principles, and the book. worts Fields: A
Manual for Desierr Construction and Maintenance by Jim Puhalla, Jeff Krans, and Mike
Goatley
Although not addressed at this time, other prototype field designs for softbalUbaseball
and other fields could be developed as needed or desired.
Field Usage
Soccer fields need to be managed cazefully in order to find the balance between satisfying
the needs of the playing community and protecting the county's ulveshnent in providing
a safe and playable surface for years to come. If properly managed, fields should not
require major renovation every few years. However, without appropriate usage policy
and enforcement in place, they will. While field lighting adds to the opportunity for
scheduled use, it also increases the wear and teaz on the field by virtue of extending the
amount of time fields are used.
Best practice requires the closure of fields to all use during the months of December
through Mazch, Scheduled play should be allowed only five of seven days per week..
Fields with a heavy night schedule (lights) should be rested fliree days per week.
Security measures need to be in place to insure compliance, and guard against vandalism
and unauthorized use. The county will need to develop a sense of "ownership" by the
soccer community in order to promote self-policing for inappropriate or unauthorized
use.
Fields developed in the spring, if sprigged by April, could optimally, be ready for play in
September, Sodded fields require only a month or less to knit. Seeded fields need a
minimum of a year, more likely two and a half years to become established,
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Conclusion
In May, staff' outlined four potential options for the disposition of this project. In general,
options "A," "B," and some variation on "C" or "D" appeaz to remain for the Boazd to
consider:
A No~build: Look for other land and potential economies of scale
B, Re-bid and Build at $215,000 (+/-): Re-bid the project as based an refinements
with the low-bidder, with the hope of achieving new bids in the range of
$200,000-215,000
C. Public-Private Partnership: Re-bid and build field same as B above, but ask
Orange County Soccer Alliance or other organization(s) to participate in funding
portions of the project (such as irrigation and landscaping)
D, Award Matching Grant and Let Others Build -Forego the project as a County
project, but consider awarding a grant from the Soccer Superfund for part of the
funding needed to an organization(s) willing to build the field. The organization(s)
would then work with the Maple View owners regarding the field construction,
This option may require amendment to the lease arrangement.
The Board may wish to discuss whether the Soccer Superfund Guidelines would apply to
this project, whether it is exempt by virtue of predating the policy, or whether another
funding source is desired.
While the progress of the Maple View Field project has been slowed by a number of
issues, and the cost estimates for the field exceeded original projections, some valuable
lessons were learned in the process:
As a general rule, economies of scale are likely to be realized when building
fields in configurations of 2, 4 or 8 fields, as lighting, parking and other
amenities can be shared and costs per field lowered.. While we are miable to
quantify the exact amount that would be saved, there seems to be little
disagreement that savings would occur.
a It may be useful to develop a prototype field that the County would use as a
standard for future designs and projects, with the understanding that in some
cases variations from the standard will be needed because of the site conditions.
While the soccer organizations are not able to take on Maple View Field as a
project at this time on their own, the potential may exist for a joint venture with
one or more of the organizations - if the prof ect is deemed exempt from the
Soccer Superfund guidelines or is funded from another source.
A joint project could offer an opportunity to achieve the result of a soccer f eld in
this location with a lessened financial commitment from the County for a facility
on land that is leased, However, a decision on whether apublic-private project is
feasible should be pursued with due speed, in order to keep the project from
languishing in limbo any longer than is necessary, One idea would be to allow for
~o
a period of six months for an organization to propose a,joint partnership to
construct the field.
If; after six months, there is no interest from another public or private entity for
participation in Maple View Field, we would recommend that -given the cost of
the field and the opportunities to achieve "more for less" on other sites -the
County thank the Nutter family for their kind generosity and willingness to help
meet the need for fields, but respectfully decline to exercise the rights in the lease
agreement to develop a field at this site, for the variety of reasons listed herein.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
H~ tachrcr~,t ~
November 17, 2003
Soccer Field Research Report:
-a
Phone conversation with Cluis Drake, CASL's facilities manager:
At the WRAL soccer center, CASL has 25 fields, the adult fields are 100 x 50 yds, some
have a width of 65 yds, max. Most fields at WR.AL, are irrigated with a Bermuda mix (rye
or fescue)
At the Cedar Fork fields, CASL has 8 fields, 100 x 50 yds for adult fields.
Some of the CASL fields aze not irrigated, they have a mixture of fescue and Bermuda
(perennial)
As far as economies of scale, Chris couldn't exactly say how much money would be
saved, but that in his experience at WR.A.I,, its better to build multiple fields, He also
noted from Iris experience a typical field should cost around $125,000. If we subtract the
"extras" at Maple View, (fence, soil amenities, bollard, irrigation, well, tank, and wood
edging,) we are down to azound $125. I think at Maple View we were at a disadvantage
with the existing land features, and the poor pressure from the well, resulting in the tank
and pump, (and higher cost.)
In speaking with other parks designers and folks who have experience with specifically
soccer field construction, a four field complex seems to be the best in terms of economies
of scale.
i3
Soccer Complexes
Greensboro (at Bryan Park)
Acreage 15
Fields 5 full size
1 50 x 90 yards
Lights no
Irrigation yes
Sod yes
Soil Amendment no (original soil used after cut and fill)
Parking 350 paved spaces
Landscaping yes
Cost $1,000,000
Grading 50% ar $500,000
Restrooms/Concession? yes, added later, not included in cost above
Contact Tim Thilo (3.36) 451-0913
Tthilo af~triad.rr.com
Also Marci Guthrie (336) 373-2574
Fl~1}acl~men'}' 2
~~
Orange County multi-use field prototype design guidelines:
**Assumptions for the prototype design guidelines:
1. Sensitivity to natural resources and designing with respect to the land are
goals of the prototype Feld design guidelines.
2. The multi-use fields will not be designed as flat fields with underground
drainage systems.
3. Orange County climate, soil types, sun patterns, and annual rainfall are
used to determine the best prototype recommendations.
4. Multi-use field is defined as a field which could be used for soccer,
lacrosse, field hockey, ultimate Frisbee, and open play.
A. Overview
B. Analysis
C. Programming
D. Design
E. Construction
F. Maintenance
Overview:
Analysis of existing conditions of a site is the first step to a successful athletic
field, Conditions can vary greatly from site to site, and the careful analysis and
evaluation of the existing conditions will result in an appropriate design for the
given site. The design phase of the project would combine the physical
conditions analysis, these prototype guidelines, and the objectives set in the
programming phase, where sociological conditions, such as demand for fields
and scheduling times would be evaluated and determined.
Construction would adhere to the graphic design and written specifications for
the individual project. During the construction phase it is essential to have the
objectives of a project specific and coordination clear between the contractor and
designer. Maintenance objectives should be discussed in the programming
phase to ensure fields are built in a suitable manner and compatible with
available maintenance personnel and facilities.
Analysis:
The initial step for any athletic field project is to analyze the existing conditions
and evaluate the usefulness of the site based on the conditions. A detailed site
survey should be completed and used to identify existing topography, existing
vegetation, existing land use, existing adjacent land uses, existing infrastructure,
and soil conditions. The existing physical conditions will be the base on which
programming, design, and construction decisions will be made.
A detailed soil analysis is recommended and a soil sample should be taken by
the designer or local extension agency. This soil sample will provide information
about the soils nutrients and indicate the needed amenities. Soil amenities such
as sand are often required for adequate drainage.
IS
The acreage of the property designated far the field is important to evaluate to
allow appropriate decisions to be made for the project such as maximum built
capacity. The elements of the site, (parking, landscaping, setbacks, buffers,
drainage containments, and miscellaneous amenities) need to be quantified and
conceptually arranged on site, to determine the suitability of the site, The project
elements need to be integrated into the existing conditions of the site in an
environmentally sensitive manner which is also cost effective, The existing
conditions and the project elements have a direct reflection on the cost of the
project.
Programming:
Programming is critical in the initial stages of the project because it is one of the
main factors which influence the design. Project considerations such as: demand
of field use, (including seasons and times of day,) size of field (adult or child
play,) tournament level or practice fields, and fees charged for usage should be
discussed and quantified, Scheduling of use times will determine if lights are
required, the number of parking spaces, and the appropriate turf seed type for
the field. Irrigation systems are often included on multi-use fields but not a
requirement depending on the turf seed used and soil type. These programming
elements are critical to determine site suitability and must be finalized prior to the
design phase of a project. Programming elements are often influenced by the
given budget of the project.
Design:
The design phase for a prototype field can begin after the evaluation of the
existing site conditions and the programming for the field has been established,
The designer must follow the outlined goals and objectives of the programming
phase and work with the existing conditions of the site. A careful layout of the site
will provide clear and specific direction to the contractor,
The multi-use field described here will support soccer, lacrosse, field hockey,
ultimate Frisbee, and open play, The field can be sized, drained, and maintained
to promote use of all these sports,
The field size recommended for an Orange County multi-use field is:
225 x 360 feet, (or 75 x 120 yards,)
Afield this size could support multiple uses depending on how it was stripped,
Sizes vary for a full size adult soccer field but it is typically 195 x 300 feet, or 65 x
100 yards.. The extra width could be utilized for stripping the field for two
children's fields or far allowing the field adjusted yearly for wear and tear on the
renter of the field and the goal mouths. The other field dimensions are shown in
the diagram below.
i~
Area designated for multi-use field
225' x 360'
Adult soccer field 195' x 300'
Field Hockey 150' x 300'
Lacrosse 150' x 360'
The best orientation of a multi-use field should be North-South to take into
consideration sun patterns, but existing topography also may influence
orientation.
After all parties involved in the planning of the field have accepted a concept
plan, the designer then will detail the project with a series of plans to instruct the
contractor on how to build the field, Project elements should be arranged on the
site and a layout plan created. The layout plan will communicate to the contractor
where the appropriate elements should be staked and provide accurate
dimensions. A grading plan and a planting plan are also communicated to the
contractor to establish final grades and install the required landscape material,
Erosion control measures are also included in the grading plan,
A key element in the design of a multi~~use field is drainage, Athletic fields should
always be designed as a single, individual drainage unit, where there should be
no wafer from adjacent areas flowing on to the field, A field with contours
supporting positive drainage and correct soil amenities will provide proper
infiltration and percolation. Existing topography of the site is important to
understand because the earth-moving phase of construction will most likely be
the biggest cost of the project. The existing topography reflects natural drainage
patterns, which should remain consistent after regrading has occurred.
Drastically disturbing the drainage patterns could disturb soil layers and interrupt
natural infiltration.
Multi-use athletic fields should ideally be designed to drain with a crowned
surface with level touchlines. The slope from the center ridge to the sidelines
should be between 1 % -1,75%, depending on the soils of the site and the turf
used. Side to side sloped fields can work if existing contours better reflect this
layout, However, sloping a field from end to end should be avoided because the
low end of the field almost always stays wet and puts stress on the soil and turf.
i7
It is important that the drawings reflect the appropriate drainage pattern and the
contractor adhere to tolerance standards for the contours. The final outcome of
the field should be smooth and gentle to avoid areas of saturation or extreme
dryness.
Construction:
Proper construction management by the designer and the owner (or
representative,) will ensure a quality built athletic field. Drawings and
specifications should be clear, detailed, and understood before beginning
construction. The contractor should have prior experience with constructing
athletic fields and be able to hire sub contractors who also have experience with
constructing athletic fields.
Construction should follow a general sequence with more specific procedures,
depending on the intricacy of the project. The first step of construction is to
remove all debris, roots, brush, and other existing impediments and remove 6" of
topsoil and stockpile on site. Next, rough grade the site and add the needed soil
amenities. Soil should be prepared, after rough grading, by loosening the soil to a
depth of 6". This allows the existing soil structure to remain and provides a base
far the sprigging or sodding. It is not recommended to compact the sub base of
the soil because this could lead to the sub base not draining adequately and
causing the topsoil layer to become saturated. After rough grading is complete,
replace the stockpiled topsoil, add sail amenities, if any, and fine grade. Spot
elevation checks should be incorporated and approved by the designer prior to
accepting final grade and turf installation. It is also a good practice to scarify the
sub base and continue to scarify as topsoil is replaced. This will ensure adequate
drainage and reduce the layering of soils and avoid soil saturation,
Once final grade is complete and accepted, the turf grass should be installed.
The most common athletic field turf in the southeast is a hybrid Bermuda grass.
Bermuda grass is a dependable surface that is durable and can tolerate close
mowing to allow the soil to dry and improve ball response. Bermuda grass has
many different varieties and an appropriate selection should be made based on
maintenance considerations, quality desired, demands on the turf, and budget. A
Bermuda mix is also common on athletic fields where Bermuda grass is mixed
with a perennial rye or fescue. It is best to complete final grading just prior to
planting of turf seed or sprigging. Regular watering is required when turf is in the
process of becoming established.
Maintenance:
Regular inspections of the field are important to maintenance. Inspecting the field
will give a baseline on the field's performance and reveal problems which can be
easily remedied. Inspections every-other week during the off-season and every
week during the play season will help avoid problems.
Turf should be mowed to maintain a height of 1"from May-September, and
remove no more than 1/3 of blade height. If more than 1/3 of the blade is
removed, the turf blades will be weakened, and infrequent mowing may lead to
excess clippings, which can lead to a thatch problem and unhealthy turf overall.
i~
Mowing blades should be kept clean and sharp to avoid ragged edges and
disease,
The moisture and compaction of the field should be investigated regularly and
addressed if there are any perceived problems.
Athletic fields should be topdressed and aerated once or twice a year, depending
on budget. Ideal times to topdress and aerate are in May and August, or when
there is down time in field use, Air holes can be introduced into the soil with a
spiker and sand used to fill in the holes to make the field even and reduce
compaction,
Also if the maintenance budget allows, overseeding should take place in late
September with a perennial rye grass. Poorly established turf areas or areas with
bare soil can also be spot seeded in October,
The field should be watered every 3 days and at a rate of 1"per week during the
summer months and as needed during the rest of the year,
Fertilizer and weed control measures can be applied as needed.
Summary of the Multi-use design guidelines:
Analysis- Important to understand existing site conditions such as soil,
topography, vegetation, zoning, land use, site context, and existing infrastructure.
Programming- Program the field based on demand, sports seasons, scheduling,
Elements to consider: usage fees, lights, irrigation, parking requirements,
maintenance facilities and resources:
Design to accommodate programming goals and site conditions and
conceptually arrange project elements, (parking, landscape materials, bathroom
facilities, well, goals, and bleachers,)
Field size: 225' x 360' to accommodate lacrosse, soccer, field hockey,
ultimate Frisbee and open play,
Construction- Provide detailed information for contractor and coordinate clear
communication between designer and contractor. Hire a contractor with previous
sports field construction experience,
Maintenance- Conduct frequent inspection of conditions, Mow Bermuda turf at a
1"height to maintain health of turf. Topdress and aerate at least once a year,
Water and fertilize as needed.
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