Appropriate funding = high quality sports surfaces
Situated in the heart of the ‘Triangle’ area of North Carolina between Raleigh and the Research Triangle Park, Cary is a relatively small town by US standards of 120,000 residents.
North Carolina has a relatively high rainfall average of 45 inches (1140mm) and high summer humidity similar to South East Queensland. Because of this they have many of the same problem species and challenges, for example the fast growing Bahia grass Paspalum notatum.
Project Representatives met with the Town of Cary’s Parks & Recreation staff and inspected some well maintained soccer and baseball facilities, including a new one where the US Olympic baseball team is currently training.
The USA Baseball National Training Complex is located in Western Cary and was selected to be the new home of USA Baseball in 2002.
The National Training Complex has four baseball fields, which consist of one Stadium Field and three Training Fields that are all fields are maintained at Major League Baseball standards.
WakeMed Soccer Park, a 150-acre multi-use complex operated by the Town of Cary. The park hosts professional matches, college and high school tournaments and other events. Fields are available for field sports such as soccer, youth football, lacrosse and ultimate Frisbee. The park also includes a world-class cross country course that encircles the park.
The level of professionalism, pride of workmanship, and access to the best technologies and funding have ensured that Cary’s Parks & Recreation staff have sporting fields of the highest standard.
It is clear that with the appropriate expertise and the right level of funding a high standard of sporting surface is achievable. However, our experiences have shown that funding to manage sporting surfaces has never been sufficient to ensure a high quality sporting surface in most situations.
We would be very interested to hear back from sports turf managers about whether they have the budgets they need to deliver high quality sporting surfaces. What sort of funding is required to provide a high quality sporting surface? Have safety concerns raised the profile of sports turf management and ensured additional funding is being available. We welcome your comments, questions and feedback.
Photos taken during our visit to the USA Baseball National Training Complex and WakeMed Soccer Park are available on the IVMP website image gallery
North Carolina has a relatively high rainfall average of 45 inches (1140mm) and high summer humidity similar to South East Queensland. Because of this they have many of the same problem species and challenges, for example the fast growing Bahia grass Paspalum notatum.
Project Representatives met with the Town of Cary’s Parks & Recreation staff and inspected some well maintained soccer and baseball facilities, including a new one where the US Olympic baseball team is currently training.
The USA Baseball National Training Complex is located in Western Cary and was selected to be the new home of USA Baseball in 2002.
The National Training Complex has four baseball fields, which consist of one Stadium Field and three Training Fields that are all fields are maintained at Major League Baseball standards.
WakeMed Soccer Park, a 150-acre multi-use complex operated by the Town of Cary. The park hosts professional matches, college and high school tournaments and other events. Fields are available for field sports such as soccer, youth football, lacrosse and ultimate Frisbee. The park also includes a world-class cross country course that encircles the park.
The level of professionalism, pride of workmanship, and access to the best technologies and funding have ensured that Cary’s Parks & Recreation staff have sporting fields of the highest standard.
It is clear that with the appropriate expertise and the right level of funding a high standard of sporting surface is achievable. However, our experiences have shown that funding to manage sporting surfaces has never been sufficient to ensure a high quality sporting surface in most situations.
We would be very interested to hear back from sports turf managers about whether they have the budgets they need to deliver high quality sporting surfaces. What sort of funding is required to provide a high quality sporting surface? Have safety concerns raised the profile of sports turf management and ensured additional funding is being available. We welcome your comments, questions and feedback.
Photos taken during our visit to the USA Baseball National Training Complex and WakeMed Soccer Park are available on the IVMP website image gallery
Labels: funding for sports turf management, sporting surface, sports turf, sports turf management, turf manager
posted by Steve Hampton at
2:09 PM
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