Photo Credit: Courtesy Of Stantec
What critical project and site conditions do project managers need to consider before specifying synthetic-turf or natural-grass installations on athletic fields? When is synthetic-turf surfacing the best solution? When is it not? Even though two recreational field projects in Florida had diverse requirements and site conditions, both showcase unique field solutions that produced optimal playability, addressed operations and maintenance costs, and responded to local environmental conditions.
Northeast Regional Park in Polk County and Out-of-Door Academy sports fields in Sarasota County are projects where synthetic-turf and natural-grass installations were each the right choice, in view of the individual site conditions.
Soil conditions in Florida differ wildly from region to region—from the high-sandy and extremely drained soils of Northern Central Florida, to the more saturated environments often seen in Southwest Florida. Northeast Regional is situated on a sandy ridge along U.S. Hwy 27 in central Florida and has more than 100 feet of elevation change on the 83-acre property. The Out-of-Door Academy is a 20-acre site with a high water-table elevation surrounded by wetland areas.