Media Contact Only: John A. Stokes, (202) 673-2195
The DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) will close the athletic field at Fort Stevens Recreation Center, 1327 Van Buren St., NW., on Wednesday, June 25, 2008, to begin the upgrade and conversion of the existing field to a new bermudagrass natural turf field. The project is being funded by a $25,000 donation from DC Stoddert Soccer, a DPR partner.
“On behalf of all DPR patrons and staff, let me be the first to thank DC Stoddert Soccer for their generous support,” said Clark E. Ray, DPR Director. “This project is possible only because of their donation, and is a great example of the positive impact that can be made when DPR and community partners work together.”
“This project represents a huge investment for us, as DC Stoddert Soccer is a non-profit organization supported solely through fees paid by parents, but well worth the expense,” said Tom Gross, League Administrator of DC Stoddert Soccer. “This new field at Fort Stevens will give the District’s youth soccer players the top-quality, full-size, natural grass athletic field they deserve.”
“Today, we have great faith in the DC Department of Parks and Recreation, from Director Ray on down, that our investment in a public field will be protected and maintained. We look forward to continuing a close partnership with DPR to improve fields and soccer programs across DC."
According to Joshua McPherson, DPR’s Manager of Athletic Field Maintenance, bermudagrass is an ideal grass for the Fort Stevens athletic field as it is warm-season grass which thrives in Washington’s weather, and grows very rapidly from mid-spring to mid-fall. Bermudagrass is drought and heat tolerant, resistant to most pests, and holds up well to heavy use year-round.
The athletic field at Fort Stevens will be planted through a process called sprigging - a specialized planting method which plants stems of already growing bermudagrass (stolons) into the ground. The freshly planted stolons will be well irrigated for two weeks, and then over the next two months, the stolons will start to resemble grass. Mowing and fertilization during this initial growing period will help establish the new athletic field surface.
The new bermudagrass field will become more whitish-brown in color during the dormant growing season than the grass that was there, but this color change is actually a sign of a healthy bermudagrass field.
The new field is scheduled to be ready for play in early Fall 2008.
Select the link below to view a photo gallery of the athletic field work at Fort Stevens Recreation Center:
About the DC Department of Parks and Recreation
The DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) presents quality urban recreation and leisure services to residents and visitors to the District of Columbia. The agency supervises and maintains area parks, community facilities, and neighborhood recreation centers as well as coordinates a wide variety of programs including sports leagues, youth development, therapeutic recreation, aquatic programming, outdoor adventure, camping, child care services, and senior citizen activities. Adaptive programs and facilities are available for persons with disabilities. For more information, visit DPR’s website at dpr.dc.gov.
About the DC Stoddert Soccer League
DC Stoddert Soccer League is a local non-profit organization founded in 1977 at the DC Department of Parks and Recreation’s Stoddert Recreation Center, to serve the youth soccer community in the District of Columbia. Funded entirely by fees and contributions and managed primarily by volunteers, this year over 5,000 children and youth athletes will participate in DC Stoddert Soccer teams and leagues. DC Stoddert Soccer also provides player clinics, coaching courses, and referee training.
For more information contact DC Stoddert Soccer at (202) 338-1910, ext. 304 or online at www.stoddert.com