Grande Prairie’s first synthetic turf field is officially ready for use.
It’s located across from Charles Spencer High in the Community Knowledge Campus, and has already seen some football practices and a game.
Recreation and Sport Development Manager Kylee Haining says having the turf is exciting, as they’ll be able to host provincial levels events.
“What’s been happening is a lot of times our area is hosting, but we’re hosting in Edmonton because we don’t have the synthetic field here. Now we can host these events and we can have a hometown crowd out cheering for our athletes.”
The city will be looking at adding bleachers and changerooms in 2016 as well.
As the surface is easier to clear snow off of, soccer and football players can get onto the field earlier in the year, and play longer into the winter.
Haining adds it’s also safer to run on.
“You’re not going to turn an ankle or those kinds of things because your surface is perfect. Even when it’s cold out, which is when a lot of football is played when it’s cold or even frozen, you’re not running on something that’s frozen solid with imperfections in it.”
There are two football games set for this weekend and it’s expected the new field will be in use until mid-November.
A time lapse video of construction is below: