There could be a turf war of sorts in Arvada this summer between Mother Nature and recreation enthusiasts. The lingering drought conditions have continued to play havoc with the grass and trees in the city, and a water-management plan could be the saving grace that keeps parks, golf courses and playing fields open to the public.
Gordon Reusink is the director of parks, golf and hospitality services for the city. He said the city and the North Jeffco Park and Recreation District have worked closely to make sure the recreational amenities that entice
so many are kept as functional
as possible.
“We (the city) have been given a water budget to follow this year and last year. We have to use 30 percent less water,” Reusink said. “These are the most challenging times we’ve ever faced, between the drought and the economy.”
The challenge meant the city had to be creative when deciding what gets watered. The same is true for North Jeffco.
Both the city and North Jeffco operate revenue-generating golf courses within the city limits. At the city-owned West Woods and Lake Arbor golf courses, Reusink said the tee boxes, fairways and greens will be the focus of the watering efforts. The rough will not be watered, as was the case for most of the 2002 growing season. The watering of the rough at the golf courses was stopped in July. That move didn’t seem to bother the golfers, Reusink said, as many people complimented the golf course staff on their responsiveness to the drought conditions while maintaining a quality playing area.
Mike Miles, executive director for North Jeffco, said similar water priorities were implemented at the district’s Indian Tree Golf Course. Indian Tree is irrigated entirely by ditch water. The district and city use their water shares from the Farmers Highline Canal to water Indian Tree.
The city and North Jeffco also have worked closely with the Arvada Soccer Association in devising a plan to keep the playing fields at the Stenger Soccer Complex open for the spring and summer seasons. The city owns and maintains the fields, and North Jeffco is in charge of scheduling the use of the fields.
Randy Greenwood, vice president of the Arvada Soccer Associa-tion, said recent estimates showed that between 700,000 and 1 million spectators and players visit the Stenger complex each year. The association alone has 100 teams, both developmental and competitive, with about 2,500 players in all. The demand for the Stenger fields, he said, has only grown.
But this year, because of the condition the turf was left in from last year’s drought, the usual 10-game season in the competitive division had to be cut back.
“Because of the field conditions across the Front Range, those games have been cut back to eight,” Greenwood said.
Practice for this year’s spring season, which got under way in early March, was a challenge for players and coaches.
“The teams moved from back yard to back yard. We worked out a deal with North Jeffco to use their indoor field, and we got some gym time, used weights and tracks. We always had something to do,” Greenwood said of the altered practice schedule.
This is Greenwood’s 32nd year with the soccer association, and he said he has never seen the weather take the toll on the playing fields that the drought has taken on the Front Range fields over the last year. He said one entire quadrant of the Stenger complex is closed to protect the fields from play.
Miles said the Stenger fields are only open to games, with limited use allowed for clinics.
The city’s parks also will be on a priority water system. Reusink said the areas that get the most use will get the most water, so it is likely that before summer’s end that some park areas will not have green grass.
Trees, no matter where they are on city property, are the top priority for watering.
“With turf, if it dies now, it will grow back. But it takes a while for trees to grow back,” Reusink said.