The City of Delta is aiming to enhance the life of its playing fields.
Council recently awarded a $125,788 contract for sport field natural turf maintenance services to maximize their use.
During the mayor's recent sport summits, several local sport organizations voiced the need for better playing turf on Delta's sport fields.
A report to council notes that in addition to making new investments in irrigation and drainage, the city has initiated other actions for better quality turf management including, among other things, soil nutrient testing twice yearly at all sites through an independent contract.
“A science based sport field turf maintenance program is necessary to ensure that these sport fields remain vigorous and healthy. The science behind growing healthy turf has evolved over the years with more information available about what is needed to ensure natural grass surfaces remain healthy year round. This is particularly relevant for multi-sport fields, such as those in Delta,” the report explains.
The city currently maintains approximately 75 acres of natural turf sports fields on a year-round basis.
The report goes on to note, “The timing to undertake these described actions is critical in getting the greatest impact for the turf. The contract services are being recommended at this time in order to ensure application is done in early April in an expedited way to benefit the turf and to minimize the disruption to the community's use of the fields. Delta's existing equipment and workforce cannot fully deliver the program without assistance of contracted services.”
