No Money for Artificial Soccer Turf - Calgary

[Locke]

As a player, coach and someone who is an active participant in Calgary's soccer community, this pisses me off.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/Sports/...836/story.html

I understand where they're coming from, but you should see some of the crappy fields I play on for men's league and whats worse is the condition of the fields that the kids I coach play on. Its absolutely terrible.

And to think, people wonder why we have so much trouble developing top-tier talent. It starts with the kids.

Now, I think this is in reference to artificial outdoor turf at the Calgary Soccer Centre for outdoor soccer, but at the moment we're having the same difficulties with indoor turf.

The Bubble at the CSC collapsed at the beginning of January and it still isn't back up yet. That removes 3 fields from the city. Consider this: The city only has 10 competitive fields for indoor soccer. 4 in the main CSC, 3 in their Bubble and 3 at the Calgary West Soccer Centre.

In addition to that there are some practice fields, but nothing for regular games and the practice fields are too small for competition.

Consider further the number of organizations that have to use these 10 fields:

- Calgary Minor Soccer Association
- Calgary United Soccer Association (Men's League)
- Calgary Women's Soccer Association
- Calgary Co-Ed Rec Soccer Association
- Assortment of Flag Football Teams, Lacrosse Teams and other indoor sports teams.

There is a serious shortage and no one seems interested in doing anything about. Whats worse is that the City just pledged a large sum of money for improving the recreational facilities in Calgary, but it seems that most of that money went to Gyms, Rec Centres and Hockey Arenas, we cant just ignore Soccer.

[CaptainCrunch]

yeah bet a quarter million dollars for an office reno is just fine and dandy.

[Mccree]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

yeah bet a quarter million dollars for an office reno is just fine and dandy.

Or a walking bridge for a few mill

[enthused]

While I understand that there might not be money for artificial turf fields right now, I can definitely say that all of the soccer leagues in Calgary would probably really benefit from them. When I used to play, the amount of times that games were cancelled due to "poor field conditions" was ridiculous. It could be a gorgeous sunny day, but if the fields were too wet, muddy or torn up, the game was cancelled.

I remember going to tournaments in other cities, and some of them would have these amazing outdoor artificial turf fields. They were really really nice. And you could basically play on them in any weather, without risk of tearing up the field.

[Swayze11]

I'm a soccer coach as well, soccer fields are never a priority in Calgary which is unfortunate. It is very clear why Soccer is slowly declining in popularity.

I know Shouldice Athletic Park is renovating all their fields with artificial turf, here are the plans:
http://riverlandspreservationcalgary...er-enhance.pdf

The funding is done, and their proposed date to have them done is before football season.

[Bobblehead]

Well, as long as there is a thread like the O&G layoffs thread, I don't think you will find a whole lot of sympathy for wanting artificial turf fields.

Not that there aren't lots of good reasons to fund that type of thing, but it just seems that there are bigger fish to fry right now.

[CaptainCrunch]

Now now, artificial grass turf won't increase dollars (you know with tournaments, increase user fees etc) but those bridges, man people travel around the world to stare at bridges.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Well, as long as there is a thread like the O&G layoffs thread, I don't think you will find a whole lot of sympathy for wanting artificial turf fields.

Not that there aren't lots of good reasons to fund that type of thing, but it just seems that there are bigger fish to fry right now.

But layoffs and recessions don't mean anything to the city council. They just want to spend money on things that benefit nobody, or do have a benefit but you'll never see a return on those investments.

I see nothing but short and long term positives for the soccer turf, and fixing hockey rinks.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

But layoffs and recessions don't mean anything to the city council. They just want to spend money on things that benefit nobody, or do have a benefit but you'll never see a return on those investments.

I see nothing but short and long term positives for the soccer turf, and fixing hockey rinks.

I agree with you. There are loads of benefits.

Talk council into giving up their raises for new turf, I'm with ya.
Talk them into giving up their private health club for the turf, I'm there.
pedestrian bridges, "training" junkets, and so on.

But right after the hue and cry of the last budget raises, and with the tightening economy, I'm not sure how the average person walking down the street will be convinced that artificial fields are a priority. I'm guessing they will say that soccer should be played in the summer on an open field like it is every summer.

From a theoretical point of view, this is exactly the type of infrastructure that should be done. I just think it will be a tough sell and look like another special interest asking for money for their pet project.

[Igottago]

I play on an artificial grass turf by UBC here in Vancouver...its a dream. Conditions are always great, less risk of injury. The difference between this and a roughed up grass/dirt pitch are night and day. Seems like a wise investment, not sure of the cost though.

[Phanuthier]

Hey Locke, you ever played on that Strathcona field that has a mental sewage cover in the middle of the field? And I remember a couple fields that were actually a slight hill. I've seen worse fields though, I don't think they're that bad.

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Well, as long as there is a thread like the O&G layoffs thread, I don't think you will find a whole lot of sympathy for wanting artificial turf fields.

Not that there aren't lots of good reasons to fund that type of thing, but it just seems that there are bigger fish to fry right now.

You would think that at a time like now there is more reason than ever to put money into soccer fields as opposed to gyms and hockey arenas. I'm pretty sure I know which sport recently laid off parents would find more affordable to have their kids in. Better to have kids playing soccer than not playing at all because parents can't afford it.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Hey Locke, you ever played on that Strathcona field that has a mental sewage cover in the middle of the field? And I remember a couple fields that were actually a slight hill. I've seen worse fields though, I don't think they're that bad.

Oh yeah. Last season my team practiced on a field in the middle of an industrial park that bordered the landfill. That was unpleasant.

The worst was the Calgary soccer centre fields last outdoor season:

Because there are no other options the outdoor fields at the CSC get used a ridiculous amount, so last winter they decided that they had to erect light stanchions to keep games going in the dark....in the summer.

Alright, smart move. But like I said, the CSC outdoor fields get used more than probably any other fields in the city and regardless of the weather conditions they will never be closed because they're used so heavily it would be impossible to re-schedule all the games.

So they start off with the Fall cup, a 4 game tournament right at the beginning of the season, they had just finished installing these light stanchions, but guess what? To get the stanchion to where they had to be installed they had to drive the heavy equipment onto the fields, so there are huge ruts almost a foot deep along the sidelines of every field.

Do they close the field? Nope. They run the tournament on fields that have been chewed to hell. Why? Because they have no choice.

We're talking outdoor field space here....its ridiculous. Just ignore the fact that you're asking kids to play on this...forget the quality of game, they're going to get hurt.