The Bowdoin Orient

February 9, 2001
Volume CXXXII, Number 15

Complications postpone Completion of Astroturf field

by ERIC CHAMBERS, STAFF WRITER

   Due to complications, the completion of a brand-new Astroturf playing field at Farley Field House has been postponed until the spring. The construction of the turf, which had proceeded normally since its beginning in the fall, hit a snag during the final stages, when the top layer of turf would not stick to the adhesive sublayers below.
   According to Jeffrey Ward, the Ashmead White Director of Athletics, "the initial planning and permitting took longer than we had anticipated, so the project didn't get started until the fall." However, when the town of Brunswick granted the school the needed permits, construction began on the new turf in the beginning of October.
   The problems with the turf were noticed in December, with the placement of the top and final layer of turf. Instead of laying flat as it normally should, the turf rippled and bubbled at various places along the surface. The turf was removed, but because of the incoming cold weather, the continuation of the job was postponed.
   John Cullen, an assistant director of athletics, said he believes that there could have been two possible causes of the problems in the final stage of the turf construction. Either the cold weather did not allow the turf to properly adhere to the sublayer, or problems with the sublayer itself did not allow the turf to stick to it. Squares of the turf were removed and sent for analysis to determine the exact cause of the problems.
   "We were all chomping at the bit, waiting for the turf to be completed," he said. "However, because of all the sports starting in the spring, we have to fit everything into our scheduled times. It's jam-packed." In order to prevent conflicts among sports practices, field reservations and schedules must be carefully planned. In some cases, this leads to some sports practicing late at night, when slots are available.
   The entire athletic department anticipated the completion of the turf before winter break. "If the field were completed today," said Cullen, "we would have had that field plowed and playable, even in thirty-degree weather." The turf had been planned to be used as a practice field for some sports, such as lacrosse, and as a competition site for others such as field hockey.
   Although the project has not been proceeding as planned, Ward is still enthusiastic about the completion. "While the spring teams would all like to be using the turf field this winter, they are essentially in the same situation they were in last year. The field house never had turf in it, but it is one of the best around."