The grass would always be green and would never need cutting.
That’s the goal of the Comox Valley United Soccer Club as it unveils plans that would see two artificial turf fields built at Valley View Park.
“This is something we have envisioned for many years,” club president Matthew Blecha said. “Most other Island communities have these kinds of facilities which allows them to schedule soccer without having to worry about field closures due to excessive use or weather-related damage.”
Courtenay Council agreed in principle to convert the fields to artificial turf following the club’s fall presentation. Since then, CVUSC has been working with an engineering company to develop more detailed plans and information.
“Soccer is fun and is a great way for kids and adults to stay in shape. It brings families and friends together,” Blecha said. “Having artificial turf fields will promote new interest in the sport, improve field accessibility and contribute to the overall health and well-being of our community.”
This year, the club expects to exceed 1,500 registrants.
The CVUSC — the primary organizer of soccer in the Valley — will be able to extend the season with turf fields, providing more opportunities for all walks of life to become involved at recreational or competitive levels.
Turf fields yield certain eco-friendly benefits, aside from the fact that mowing is not required. Water use is minimal, and there is no need for fertilizers, pesticides or insecticides. In addition, turf will never suffer from severe weather.
Along with fewer maintenance issues, the fields will keep more than 500,000 pounds of tires and hundreds of thousands of plastic bottles out of landfill sites. Turf itself consists of individual blades of synthetic grass held upright by a mixture of sand and rubber particles made from used tires. Recycled plastic bottles are used for the backing into which the grass is woven.
“We still have a lot of work to do,” Blecha said. “We have our preliminary numbers in and the club has committed $800,000 towards the project. With fundraising and the support of the community our goal is to finally stop dreaming about the fields and turn them into a reality so that our children, youth and adults can get the most out of a game that has become the world’s sport.”
