Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Councilors approve $150,000 for 20-foot netting at Alamoire Sports Complex to keep balls off the road
Summary
Parks staff said soccer balls were reaching Craft Street from the new artificial turf field, creating hazards; the committee advanced a purchase/installation of approx. $150,000 in netting and poles (6-0 straw vote).
Parks staff told the committee that frequent play on the new artificial turf field at the Alamoire Sports Complex has resulted in soccer balls frequently traveling over the sidelines and onto Craft Street, creating potential safety risks for pedestrians and drivers.
"This is why we're doing it. I think it's definitely a safety matter," the presenting staff member said, describing a roughly 20-foot-high net system like the one at Newton South that will keep errant balls from reaching the roadway. The recommended purchase covers netting and installation for the Craft Street and Albemarle Road sides; staff said the $150,000 estimate should cover those two sides and that any additional sides would be addressed through operating budgets later.
Councilors asked about repair and maintenance. Staff said smaller fixes would be handled in-house by grounds and forestry crews; taller or complicated repairs would require a contractor. The department estimates netting life at 10'to'15 years and emphasized the poles are expected to last even longer.
President Oliver moved approval; the motion passed by voice vote (6-0). The expense will proceed under the department's contract authority to order materials upon approval and install by the fall if schedule holds.
