Auroraadvocate.com - Turf flaws delay work at stadium; Won't affect first grid game, cost

by Brent Hovey

Reporter

Aurora -- A minor glitch in the artificial turf project at the school district's Veteran Stadium will not affect the season's first football game -- or the project's cost.

While installing the surface last week, workers noticed something unusual about the turf. The project was expected to be completed in early August, but fixing the problem will delay it a couple of weeks.

Total cost of the project still is expected to be around $600,000, according to George Balog, an organizer with the Greenmen Pride group, which is raising all the money through private donations.

"As we unrolled it, there were sections that needed more grooming, and we didn't feel we should be responsible for that," said Superintendent Russ Bennett. "There was nothing wrong with the quality or safety of the product."

Balog said the concerns actually were brought to the group's attention by the installers.

"The grass hairs were 2 inches higher on 20 percent of the roll, and some of them were looped and attached back to the base," Balog explained.

"They said it could be fixed, but it would be easier and quicker to get a new shipment of turf in."

The shipment came in, and on July 28 Balog said by the next day the entire ProGrass surface was expected to be laid.

SPOKESMEN believe the field will be ready for the Greenmen's opening football game Aug. 21 against Avon. However, it is not likely it will be ready for the scheduled scrimmage Aug. 9 against Amherst-Steele.

"It will be ready for the first football game," Bennett said. "We wanted to have it for the scrimmage, but now we'll have to see how fast the installation goes.

"We'll take our time. We don't want to hurt the quality of the installation. We'll take it day-by-day and see what happens."

Balog said it may be the boys soccer team which is the first to play on the new turf. That squad opens the season Aug. 18 against Notre Dame Cathedral Latin.

"There's a chance it could be ready by Aug. 9, but I don't see that happening," he said. "We don't want to rush it. But will be completed shortly after than and ready for the soccer game."

Balog said it is about a three-week process once crews begin installing the turf.

Once it is down, painting of the yard lines, logos and other figures is a time-consuming process, he said.

The group is still in the process of trying to find a donor for field naming rights, and Balog said an announcement on that is expected before the football season opens.

E-mail: bhovey@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3115