Turf installation at Shoreline Center nearing completion

  • Tony Dondero<br>Enterprise writer
  • Monday, March 3, 2008 11:36am

SHORELINE — Soccer lovers and passersby have been sneaking peeks at the newly installed synthetic turf fields at Shoreline Center that are expected to open in a few weeks.

“A and B fields are coming along nicely and the turf has been laid,” said Dick Deal, Shoreline’s director of parks, recreation and cultural services.

After a bid was accepted this past spring the target date for completion of the $1.6 million resurfacing of the sand fields was Sept. 1.

“We’re still on schedule to make that happen unless something unforeseen comes about,” Deal said.

Crews planned to lay sand and rubber fill on the 193,000 square feet or four acres of Prestige brand turf with machines this week.

The city plans to hold a grand opening at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 9 with local soccer clubs Hillwood and Shorelake, each of which contributed $100,000 to the project, playing an exhibition match. The city’s $1.4 million contribution came from its general capital fund and budgets of lower-priority capital projects.

The popular fields were already used every night for a total of 3,000 hours a year. But dust clouds, soft and hard spots created headaches for the coaches, athletes and referees who used them.

“It’s going to be a wonderful addition making for better and safer recreational opportunities for our citizens here in town. We’re excited and we think the community is too,” Deal said.

The project is possibly the largest synthetic field turf installation ever done in the Puget Sound area.

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