CREJ - Building Dialogue - December 2017
The West Fields at Highland Heritage Park in Douglas County recently celebrated the opening of two new synthetic turf fields. Both fields feature GreenFields synthetic turf and Carolina High Mast self-lowering LED lights. The West Fields are among the first locations in the U.S. to install the MX Trimension woven synthetic turf, which is hailed by athletes and field managers as one of the highest-performing synthetic turfs available. Games will be able to be played on the West Fields in almost any kind of weather. The GreenFields turf has perforations in the backing that allow water to quickly exit the field – up to 20 inches of water per hour. Within minutes of even a torrential downpour, play will resume on these fields. These fields also have extensive drainage systems, precise field slope and porous detention ponds. They were designed to accommodate existing soils conditions, field orientation, weather conditions and regional athletic association requirements. Soccer Fields Striped for New Guidelines In 2016 U.S. Soccer standardized smaller-sided games for all age groups under 12. The number of players per team is determined by age groups and the fewer the players, the smaller the field sizes (see middle photo). The West Fields are striped for these smaller-sided games, which will encourage skill development aligned with the stages of physical development in children. Younger soccer players will benefit from smaller fields, where they will spend less time running and more time trying to execute plays. The tighter space also encourage better ball control and technical finesse, and give each player a greater chance to have a meaningful role in the game. LED Self-Lowering Lights Reduce Energy The West Fields include Carolina High Mast self-lowering LED lights. These instant-on lights will reduce energy consumption (there is no warm-up time needed). They have a longer lifespan than traditional HID lights, and require minimal maintenance. The lights will increase light cutoff, limit light spill and reduce glare. The dimmable lights will perform at full power for game play, lower output for practice, and the lowest output for safety lighting. IMAGES: Design Concepts PROJECT TEAM OWNER: Douglas County LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: Design Concepts CIVIL ENGINEER: JVA CONTRACTOR: Designscapes Colorado SYNTHETIC TURF: GreenFields USA SPORTS LIGHTING: Carolina High Mast