SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/282941
Bird pumping station uses three 75-hp vertical turbines that draw from an 8-acre lake on site. The lake doubles as an architectural feature and a fishing pond for Riverview Park. At the pump- ing station water pressure is around 105 psi. This is moderated down between 60 and 70 psi through a traditional valve block system. The water then makes its way to a combination of Hunter I40 and I20 heads for turf, and Hunter I25 heads on all skin infields. The infields are constructed with Stabilizer Ballyard Brown infield mix, installed at 5 inch depth on both major and minor fields. The mounds are constructed with a combination of Stabilizer Ballyard Clay and Hilltopper Waterless mound clay. Knight chose not to install warning track heads, instead opting for waterless warning track mix on the stadium field. "I decided on the Hill- topper warning track mix because of labor sav- ings, but also to control dust. I looked at the contract costs of cleaning the seating bowl. Each dust related cleaning cost $3,000," he said. In 2003, with Marriott Golf at the Royal St. Kitts Golf Club, Knight spent the greater part of 3 years learning the idiosyncrasies of pas- palum turf. "What people don't realize is that al- though in the Caribbean, the island of St. Kitt's has an arid climate and little water. That is why I feel so strongly about using that turf in the desert." Using Seashore Paspalum Platinum TE on the Riverview Park soccer fields and common areas of the complex really became a passion project for Knight while employed by the City of Mesa. Some may view this as taking a risk, but he views it as "an opportunity." "That's one thing I learned from Ken Mangum (while work- ing at the Atlanta Athletic Club); always look for opportunities to be innovative. We were defi- nitely going outside the box." For Knight, advocating for the use of pas- palum, being so involved in the design, and even establishing a soccer field/parking area proving ground, truly made relinquishing control of this portion of the project bittersweet. The original design included an 8-inch sand cap over the ex- isting bermudagrass, as a result of value engi- neering; this sand cap was left out, leading to bermuda contamination. Knight is currently re- searching how to solve this problem, which he thinks can be contained through patience and diligence. "It's tough to let the whole responsi- bility go, but I still get to consult for the City and share the responsibility to make it work." JUNE 2013 At the optimal time in June and July, land- scape contractor Siteworks stolonized three- quarters of the project, with the exception of the infields, which were sodded. For the baseball fields, the design team decided to go with a more traditional Tifway 419, overseeded with peren- nial ryegrass. The entire stadium field and berm were completely sodded in September 2013 without overseeding. Construction delays pushed Knight's overseeding plans all the way back to Novem- ber 26, not a good time for overseeding in general, but the new stadium made it even tougher. While a great design feature for fans, the majority of the seating area is shaded, es- pecially along the 1st base line. Knight, still unsure of how overseeding worked out just in time for the season, could only explain, "I was really fortunate for a warm winter." In September 2010, amidst rumors of the Cubs' leaving, Knight accepted the head groundskeeper job at HoHoKam Park for the City of Mesa. While the new ballpark was not yet approved, he took a calculated risk, believing the Cubs would not leave Mesa. Although wel- comed, the 2012 announcement of the new complex created even more uncertainty. No one knew whether the Cubs or Mesa would be re- sponsible for maintenance. To make matters worse, City officials were negotiating with the Oakland Athletics to lease HoHoKam Park. This pretty much meant that the A's would bring Chad Huss from Phoenix Municipal Sta- dium to manage HoHoKam, potentially leaving Knight without a home. "It was very challeng- ing not knowing what would happen," he said. After the groundbreaking, one piece of the puzzle was finally made clear. A facility use agree- ment was signed between the Cubs and Mesa, outlining the role of the Cubs in the stadium, facility and field management, and the role of the City in regards to the minor field timeshare, April 2014 | SportsTurf 29 www.stma.org