Whitehorse Daily Star

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Photo by John Tonin

RESPECT THE SPACE – Athletics Yukon and the Yukon Soccer Association are asking the public to please follow the rules of the new turf field and track facility at F.H. Collins. The prohibited activities are posted on the fence surrounding the area

Community urged to follow new turf field rules

Athletics Yukon and the Yukon Soccer Association are asking the Whitehorse public to please respect the rules and prohibited activities at the new turf field and track and field facility at F.H. Collins Secondary School.

By John Tonin on April 29, 2020

Athletics Yukon and the Yukon Soccer Association are asking the Whitehorse public to please respect the rules and prohibited activities at the new turf field and track and field facility at F.H. Collins Secondary School.

President of the Yukon Soccer Association, Danny Macdonald, said the artificial field is the first of its kind in the territory.

“It’s a surface that we’ve not had up here before,” said Macdonald.

The new field and track have the rules posted and Macdonald said they are necessary to maintain the quality of the new facility. These include no bicycles on the surface and no dogs inside the fence.

“We are getting reports that people are on the field with their dogs and on their bikes,” said Macdonald. “It’s not officially open yet and the project isn’t complete. It would be a little frustrating if it got damaged before we could use it.”

Macdonald added that the only drink people should bring onto the field is water, as well, users should not be eating while on the new field.

These rules are to protect the rubberized track and the small rubber pellets that create the underlay of the field surface.

“The turf does not restore itself like traditional grass fields and will quickly become unplayable if users ignore the restrictions on use,” said Macdonald.

Kristen Johnston, president of Athletics Yukon, said they are seeing lots of dog poop on the turf and said unlike grass fields, it will not compost or decompose, it will just remain there.

The track around the perimeter of the filed doesn’t have rubber in place yet. Johnston said the hope is the work will be completed this summer and it is not being maintained right now.

“People can go around the track it’s just concrete right now,” said Johnston. “When the rubber is in there should be no bikes. Braking especially will chew up the rubber.”

Johnston said the new facility is open to the public and now is a time to educate Yukoners on how to properly use an artificial field.

Both organizations have halted sanctioned activities during the COVID-19 pandemic and ask those who do use the field to follow physical distancing guidelines.

Comments (1)

Up 7 Down 0

Kelli on Apr 29, 2020 at 4:28 pm

The facility is lovely! What a wonderful addition to the community.

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