BV Soccer is asking council to support a series of upgrades to the Chandler Park fields.
BV Soccer president Colin Bateman gave a presentation to Smithers council last night about the poor state of the soccer fields and injuries that result from the condition of the park.
“The problems with these areas obviously is (it causes) twisted ankles, lots of shinsplints and pulled muscles among other injuries. The field is uneven, it has holes, it has ruts and lots of dry spots.”
To provide better soccer pitches, BV Soccer is proposing removing the track, leveling the area and creating three pitches that can be rotated around the park.
The track would then be constructed as a path that boarders the park.
Over time, the group would like to see the field base gradually shifted from a clay base to sand.
Smithers mayor Taylor Bachrach says some members of council recently toured the park.
“We got to see first hand some of the deficiencies that are causing some safety issues. And generally it means that our fields aren’t up to snuff in terms of what other communities are able to offer.”
Bachrach says BV Soccer thinks the plan is a better option than installing an artificial turf.
“The approach that it looks like Soccer wants to pursue would allow us to continue to use Chandler Park as it is improved incrementally as opposed to an approach where you rip the whole thing up and replace it all at once. Of course, that approach would be awesome but the two things are one, you would probably lose a season and two, it costs a whole bunch of money all at once.”
Council will discuss the park at the next meeting.