An architect’s drawing of the renovated Plouffe Park soccer field.
Plouffe Park Recreation Centre soccer field will reopen to soccer this spring after a massive renovation project left local teams without a field last summer.
The park underwent drastic changes as part of the city’s Preston Street sewer and drainage system reconstruction, which took place between 2007 and 2009. Workers lowered the field by more than a metre to act as a storage basin for excess storm water in the event of a major downpour.
Local soccer clubs said they are thrilled the soccer field will reopen soon.
“We had (a) very very hard time last year. We’re very glad that it’s open because last year we (had) a tremendously bad time in sales and we couldn’t find fields,” says Johnny Mattioli, soccer program direct for St. Anthony soccer club.
The Preston Street renovation began in 2008 to fix the 110-year-old sewers and water mains that have caused flooding in Preston Street basements.
Project manager Ravi Mehta says the city attempted to lessen the disruption the construction would cause to local youth soccer teams.
Construction began in the fall of 2008 and was completed by spring 2009. However, soccer teams were not allowed to use the field during the summer so the ground and the grass could settle.
“We timed it because obviously we want to fix the road issues and flood issues but we also want to make sure that we don’t too badly affect the community,” Mehta says.
The lowered field collects excess storm water in the event of extreme heavy rainfall.
Water is then absorbed into the ground and collects in a series of gravel filled trenches. The water is then slowly released into the main sewer line to prevent backups and flooding of nearby homes and roads.
Doug Gablemann, president of the Plouffe Park Recreation Association, said he is pleased with the renovation.
“By and large, I think we have a much better park and the city did a good job,” Gabelmann says. “Kudos to the engineering staff.”
Despite the area lost in the creation of the slopes, Mehta says the field is still within regulation size for the community’s youth soccer leagues.
Mattioli says the lowered field will not affect games or kids.
“When there’s rain the kids can’t play anyway. So it’s not affecting us."
In addition to lowering the soccer field, Mehta says the city also gave the park a much needed revitalization. Trees and vines were planted along the park’s south fence to provide more shade.
However, concerns over the lowering of the field are still being by some in the community.
Lori Mellor, executive director of the Preston Street BIA, says she is worried water flowing into the field will leave behind contaminants from the surrounding area.
However, Mehta says the new combined sewage system was designed to hold very high levels of rainfall and only in rare cases will the park become flooded.
“What we’ve designed the overall system for is a one-in-100-year storm, so all the sewers are designed to hold that kind of [high] water intake.”
Mehta says the first few minutes of rain will wash away any water-born contaminants, such as motor oil from the streets.
The lowering of a soccer field is not new to the city.
Sandy Hill soccer park was lowered more than two metres to catch storm water in 2009. Sandy Hill received the urban design award for the project in 2009.
Mehta says the city plans to monitor the area over the next year to ensure no harm will come to the field or the people who use it.
For now, however, soccer players throughout the community can’t wait for the spring soccer season to begin.