Even with irrigation systems that weren’t designed for the continual use they’ve seen in recent weeks with extremely dry, hot weather, New Canaan’s playing fields are in good shape as the fall sports season gets underway, parks officials say.
The soccer fields at Waveny on Sept. 8, 2015. Credit: Michael Dinan
The Department of Public Works did have two main line breaks at Mead Park and is “fighting one problem after another” yet “over, we are in great shape,” John Howe, parks superintendent with the DPW, said Tuesday morning at a regular Board of Selectmen meeting.
“We are not really losing grass,” Howe said.
The National Weather Service is calling for showers and thunderstorms on Thursday.
Howe’s comments came as the selectmen approved $32,403 to purchase and $9,400 to apply grass treatment products at athletics fields on both school grounds and public parks.
During the meeting at Town Hall, the selectmen also approved $5,776 for a company to install new sod on the three small soccer fields that front Farm Road between Waveny Care Center and the high school. Howe told the selectmen that though he was very pleased with the fields, the “[New Canaan] Soccer Association wasn’t quite as happy.”
Though the request came formally from the NCSA itself—and Howe said he was OK with doing it—the complaint may have originated with a new UK league that called the field “unplayable,” Selectman Nick Williams said.
“Which I would argue with,” Howe answered, saying he ultimately may have preferred to leave the seed there for better conditions long term.