Report to:
General Committee Report
Date:
SUBJECT: Turf
Maintenance Report
PREPARED BY: Mark
Ingwersen, District Manager, Operations
ext. 3000
RECOMMENDATION:
That the staff report dated
And that the implementation of cultural practices on Town properties as
part of the Operations Department’s turf maintenance program be approved in
principle;
And that Council approve Year one of the proposed Five Year Turf
Standards Implementation Plan attached as Appendix A, at a cost of $90,000.00
in the 2007 Parks/Operations Operating Budget, and $200,000.00 in the 2007
Parks/Operations Capital Budget;
And that years two to five of the Five Year Turf Standards
Implementation Plan (Appendix A) be included annually in the Parks/Operations Operating
and Capital Budget submissions from 2008 to 2011 for Council’s consideration;
And that Council approve implementation of Sports Field Rehabilitation
Strategy 1 for up to five (5) “B” level sports
fields with greater than 50% weed populations, to be undertaken during 2007 and
2008;
And that Development Services incorporate recommendations from the
Operations Department to improve both the design and construction practices for
new sports field construction in all new park construction projects;
And that the Director of Strategic Services work with the Development
Services Commission to identify opportunities to accelerate construction of new
sports fields in new subdivisions;
And that the Director of Strategic Services work with both the
Operations Department and the Markham Sports Council to develop new policies on
use of sports fields and report back to Committee and Council in the fall of
2007 with recommendations for implementation in 2008;
And that Staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to
give effect to this resolution.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The purpose of the
Turf Maintenance Report is to determine appropriate standards and make
recommendations regarding our turf maintenance practices that will further
reduce the use of pesticides on publicly owned property.
The Operations
Department has identified four key issues with respect to turf maintenance that
require both short and long term strategies to improve the quality of our turf
in parks, sports fields, boulevards and medians throughout the Town. The four key issues are as follows:
- 5 year turf maintenance implementation
plan
- Sport field rehabilitation strategies
- New sports field construction
- Introduction of new policies to address
wet field use and off season use
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
The Operations Department has developed a five year financial plan (2007
to 2011) to implement our new turf maintenance standards (Appendix ‘A’). The plan includes a proposed $90,000
annualized increase to the Operations – Parks 2007 Operating Budget as well as
a $200,000 increase to the 2007 Capital Budget.
The increase funding in the Operating Budget is required to cover the
cost of increased cultural practices on our ‘A’ sports fields as well as our
currently irrigated ‘B’ fields. The
increased Capital funding will be utilized to install irrigation systems on ‘B’
fields at five locations in 2007. In
addition, the Operations Department requires funds to cover the purchase of
additional top dressing and turf aeration equipment in order to facilitate the
improved turf maintenance standards in 2007.
1. Purpose 2. Background 3. Discussion 4. Financial
5.
Others (Environmental, Accessibility, Engage 21st, Affected Units) 6.
Attachment(s)
PURPOSE:
To recommend the implementation of cultural practices for the Town’s
turf maintenance program, as per the Five Year Turf Standards Implementation
Plan (2007-2011) and rehabilitation of “B” level sports fields with greater
than 50% weed populations as per Option Three.
BACKGROUND:
An investigative study conducted in the fall of 2005 by Marshall Macklin
Monaghan Ltd. resulted in the Turf Grass Maintenance Evaluation Report. The purpose of conducting the report was to
evaluate the Turf Maintenance of a selected inventory of turf conditions in
The Turf Grass Maintenance Evaluation Report Phase 1 was presented to
Town Council on
The Turf Grass Maintenance Evaluation Report Phase 2 and the Parks
Standard Review Phase 2 Staff Report were presented to Town Council on
On
OPTIONS/
DISCUSSION:
Five
Year Turf Standards Implementation Plan (2007-2011)
Based on recommendations of the panel of experts and results from the
Workshop, Staff recommends approval and implementation of Year One of the
attached Five Year Turf Standards Implementation Plan (2007-2011) (Appendix A)
for sports fields, general park turf areas and medians. This will ultimately
result in elimination of herbicide use for cosmetic purposes on Town property.
The results of the cultural practices as implemented under the 2001 Herbicide
Free Pilot Project in Ward 2 and the Civic Centre indicate that ongoing use of
cultural practices over an extended period of time will generally halt the
increase of weed populations and may reduce weed populations by increasing the
health and vigour of turf grasses under favourable weather conditions. The Five
Year Turf Standards Implementation Plan (2007-2011) (Appendix A), based on the
results of the cultural practices pilot project, and recommended by the panel of experts, will over
time result in healthier turf and lower weed populations without the use of
herbicides.
The Plan includes increased use of cultural practices on sports fields,
parks, and medians, as well as the installation of irrigation systems on “B”
level sports fields that are currently not irrigated. Irrigation is required to extend the
beneficial growth conditions for grass and germination conditions for grass
seed. Over the five year program, the
intensity of cultural practices will be increased. The irrigation systems installed in the sports
fields will also be phased in over the five year period. The chart in Appendix ‘A’ of this report outlines
a summary of the actions and costs to improve sports fields, parks and medians
in each year of the program:
The implementation of cultural practices on boulevards is not
recommended. Boulevards have received increased mowing over the last 2 years
and this has greatly reduced complaints.
It was also felt that the weeds often provide green cover where grass
will not grow due to salt damage and compaction and that this practice is
generally acceptable providing the boulevards are mown regularly.
Sports
Field Rehabilitation Options
Sports Fields must be kept relatively weed free for safety reasons,
particularly when play is occurring at a high level, such as on the “A” and “B”
rated athletic fields. Weeds can become slippery, especially when wet. A 50% or greater threshold was recommended by
the panel of experts as the level where cultural practices alone would not
reduce weed growth in a timely manner to ensure a safe playing surface. Turf
conditions on fields above 50% weed infestation where advanced levels of
athletic play are ongoing would require rehabilitation using one of the three
options listed below. Currently, it is estimated that a total of ten (10) of
the Town’s forty-eight (48) “B” level sports fields have weed populations that
exceed the 50% limit.
Option One. STRIP, RE-GRADE AND SEED
The estimated cost is $50,000.00 per field.
The field would need
to be stripped completely, re-graded and seeded. The field would be removed from use for a
period of up to 2 full playing seasons. This
method is environmentally friendly and cost-effective, however, it could
provide a quality field below recommended weed thresholds because the bare
grounds created as a seed bed for grass seed can also become infested with weed
seeds.
Due to the prolonged
period of time where the fields would not be available for use, and the
opportunity for continued or increased weed growth, staff does not recommend
the implementation of Option One for turf rehabilitation of sports fields.
Option Two.
STRIP, RE-GRADE AND SOD
The estimated cost is $75,000.00 per
field.
The field would be
stripped, re-graded and sodded. The
field would be removed from use for a period of 2 months. This method of turf
rehabilitation would reduce the opportunity for germination of new weeds and
deliver a weed free field in a much shorter time frame than seeding. However, it
is the most expensive option.
Option Three.
HERBICIDE SPRAY AND CULTURAL PRACTICES
The estimated cost is $5,000.00 per field.
Herbicide would be
applied to eliminate the weeds and then the field would be fertilized, aerated,
over-seeded and topdressed. The field
would be rested for a period of 2 weeks.
This method is advantageous because there is a very short time period where
the field would be removed from use, and it is by far the most cost effective.
This option will create the desired quality of fields in the shortest amount of
time. Once spraying is completed over a 1-2 year period, no additional spraying
will be required if irrigation is installed and recommended cultural practices
are implemented.
Sports Field Rehabilitation
In the fall of 2006
the
A detailed five-year
sports field rehabilitation plan is included in Appendix ‘B’ of this report
which illustrates the current turf condition assessment and plan of action to
improve or rehabilitate the Town’s ‘B’ sports fields in each year of the
program.
Parks located over water
reservoirs
Of the ten fields
requiring rehabilitation, five of these fields are located over water
reservoirs owned by either the City of
Due to the fact that
these fields are located over water reservoirs the Town is not able to use any
type of fertilizer on the fields. In
addition, top dressing is limited to filling the smaller bare turf areas
throughout the field area however, the Town will be able to increase the number
of times these fields are aerated and over-seeded throughout the season.
Parks located School Board and
Town owned properties
‘Strategy 1’ (as
outline below) would only be considered on the two fields owned by the Town, as
well as the three fields owned by the respective York Region School Boards,
subject to the School Boards’ approval.
In addition, the
Of the ten fields
requiring rehabilitation, only two of these fields are located on Town owned
lands, neither of which currently has an irrigation system installed.
Sports Field Rehabilitation Strategy 1
Due to the benefits of expediency and lower costs, staff recommends that
Option Three be implemented for up to five (5) “B” level sports fields in
2007-2008 at a total cost of $25,000.00 (i.e. $5,000 per field). In addition, staff recommends that new
irrigation systems be installed on these 5 fields in 2007. The cost to install new irrigation systems
has been included in the 5 year implementation plan (Appendix A).
In order to undertake the required field rehabilitation,
Considering that other municipalities have generally utilized a two year
grace period for individual homeowners and lawn care specialists to comply with
new pesticide By-laws, this strategy would allow the Town to rehabilitate the
fields within this two year period without contravening the new pesticide
By-law. Implementation of this strategy
will result in good quality fields that will allow the successful application
of cultural practices as described in the Five Year Turf Standards
Implementation Plan (2007-2011) (Appendix A).
Sports Field Rehabilitation Strategy 2
Staff recognizes that the use of herbicides is a contentious issue. Should Council not approve rehabilitation of
approximately five (5) “B” fields with the use of herbicides as outline in
Strategy 1, staff recommend that the fields be re-evaluated at the end of Year
Two (2008) of the Five Year Turf Standards Implementation Plan. Staff will also assess the permitting demand
on our field inventory and determine if there is enough surplus capacity in our
inventory to consider closing individual fields for an estimated two-month
period to undertake re-sodding of any B fields displaying more than 50% weed
infestation. Based on current turf conditions, rehabilitation of the fields by
re-sodding would result in a cost of approx. $75,000.00 per field.
A detailed plan
outlining this type of proposal would be brought forward in the fall of 2008
for consideration in the Town’s 2009-2011 capital budget programs for sports
field rehabilitation.
New Sports Field Construction
The design and construction of new fields is the responsibility of the
Parks and Open Space Development Department.
In Phase 1 of the ‘Turf Care and Maintenance Practices Review’, several
park locations were noted for the lack of quality soil conditions. Many of the sites visited exhibited soils
heavy in clay and silt content. In some
locations, there was a lack of drainage preventing excess water from leaving
the playing field.
During the design and construction phases, stakeholders should be sought
out for their opinions relating to the development of the facility. Involving the
The
All new sports fields should be allowed to mature for one full year
following the construction or major turf retrofits of a playing facility. There should be no formal programmed of
allocated use of the sport field during the one year maturation period.
Excessive Sports Field Use /
Wet Field Use
Define length of season
It is evident that the
use of the Markham Sport Fields occurs too early in the growing season and too
late in the season. Often, user groups are on the fields using the facilities
when the frost is just coming out of the ground. Also, the fields are being
used until first snow. This overuse contributes to staff’s inability to close a
field and direct their energies to preparing the fields for the spring of the
following year.
Many municipalities
have hard and fast rules that prevent the use of sports fields prior to the May
1st weekend and after the October Thanksgiving weekend. Those teams
or organizations found using the fields outside of the designated time periods
could be subject to having their permits suspended the following season.
Wet field policy and enforcement
The Town’s sport
fields are showing signs of fatigue due to the increased numbers of players
playing different field events. Many of
the goalmouth areas are bare of turf and most of the centre portions of the
fields from the 18-yard box to the 18-yard box at the other end of the fields
are rutted and devoid of any quality turf grass. Not only are these bare spots and ruts
unsightly, they are creating potential for liability for the Town. In each of the cases, neither the soil
conditions, nor the lack of a scheduled cultural program were contributing to
the decline of the field. Each of the
fields is core aerated, top dressed, over-seeded, and fertilized on an annual
basis in accordance with Town policy.
In other towns and
municipalities of
In
Communication With The Stakeholders
It is essential for
staff to broaden the scope of the information that they are providing to the
public. As previously in this report,
the Town lacks the resources to monitor the use of sport fields. The implementation of the Town web site ‘field
condition notification system’, coupled with a 24/7 information phone line, are
tools that may be used to alert those wishing to use the fields that the fields
are unplayable and out of service. Further, those teams found playing in
abeyance of a field use by-law would be subjected to a suspension penalty that
could affect their ability to play on
Permits used to
allocate sport fields to sports teams require changes that limit field use
during inclement weather. A policy or communication
strategy can be developed regarding the issuance of permits to sporting
associations rather than individual sports teams. This prevents teams from capturing or
“hoarding” sports field playing time. It
also ensures that teams receive a fair share of allocated field time. A further enhancement of this strategy is to
identify which teams (divisions) use the field, which day they use the field,
and for how long.
Another communication
tool that may be used by the Town is the Markham Sports Council. The Town could make it a condition for all
permit holders are active members of the Markham Sports Council. One of the purposes of the Sports Council is
to reinforce the four True Sport principles:
inclusion, fairness, excellence and fun as well as other
FINANCIAL TEMPLATE: (external link)
Not applicable.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:
The Five Year Turf Standards Implementation Plan (2007-2011) (Appendix
A) will allow the reduction/elimination of herbicide use for cosmetic purposes.
By implementing the recommended cultural practices on public property over an
extended period of time, healthier turf and lower weed populations can result without
use of herbicides.
ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS:
Not applicable.
ENGAGE 21ST
CONSIDERATIONS:
The Five Year Turf Standards Implementation Plan (2007-2011) is in
alignment with the Town of
BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND
AFFECTED:
Financial Services
Strategic Services
RECOMMENDED
BY: ________________________ ________________________
Peter Loukes Jim
Sales
Director, Operations Commissioner,
Community
and
Fire Services
ATTACHMENTS:
Appendix ‘A’ Five Year Turf Standards Implementation Plan
(2007-2011)
Appendix ‘B’ B Sports Fields Turf Assessment and Action
Plan
Appendix ‘C’ Detailed Annual Operating and Capital Budget
Requirements