Edmonton considers turfing grass on school and park fields

Edmonton is looking to expand the number of artificial turf sports fields in the city.

One councillorsaid converting grass fields to turf should happen at a rate of at least two every four years.

"The intent would be to get us better surfaces to play on for longer periods of timein each year," saidCoun. Bryan Anderson.

Converting high school and park grass fields to artificial turf is the focus of a report that was discussed Tuesday by city councillors.

Compared to grass fields, artificial turf provides approximately 50 per cent more daylight usability, according to the report. That's about 1,300 hours per seasoncompared to 700 hours.

That is because grass requires one week without play every month.

Also, artificial turf fields can be open for use up to four weeks earlier in the spring and up to six weeks later in the fallcompared to grass,which retains water, said Anderson.

"We could provide fields that are played on in any kind of weather," he added.

The cost of converting an existing grass field to artificial turf is about $2 million, the report said.

A turf field would need to be replaced every eight to 10 years at an estimated cost of $750,000, city staff said.

The estimated annual operational maintenance costs for an artificial turf field with limited amenities is $15,000, similar to a premier grass field, staff added.

Anderson said he's somewhat surprised by those numbers, saying a good quality turf should last 15 years. "Which would make it less expensive [than grass]," he said.

What's to come

The city currently operates four outdoor artificial field facilities: Clark Stadium, Mill Woods, Clareview, and Jasper Place Bowl.

All of these locations have enhanced amenities such as change rooms, spotter's boxes, spectator seating, scoreboards, sound systems and lighting, the report stated.

Funding for the design of two new artificial turf sites, Terwillegar and Londonderry,has been approved and will be considered in the 2019-2022 capital budget, said Anderson.

He has asked city staff to do a cross-Canada check on the life of existing artificial fields.

Staff have also been directed to talk with school boards about options for cost-sharing on artificial turfs.

The possibility of winter-doming an artificial field is something else staff will look into.

A dome on Commonwealth Stadium is ideal because it would cover the field while the sides of the stadium would shield the dome from outside view, Anderson said.

"Neighbourhoods don't want that big ugly white thing," he added.

Two reports, one addressing the artificial turf and the other on temporary domes, will come back to executive committee in August.