------'lConsfrucfion of a Play Facility

by Dan Bergstrom

triPle play facility is under The overall design is a "park with- Discussion of the project started construction in Lincoln, in a park." The site (Haymarket in February of 1999. It took nearly A Nebraska. The 32-acre com- Park) will incorporate nearly 4,000 two years to work the details of plex is a joint effort of, and will trees and perennial shrubs along with the agreement which are contained in serve, three entities: NEBCO, the numerous annual flowering plants to a document 3-inches thick. The three owner of the professional baseball make the park a place to visit even if entities have established seasonal Northern League team (the no scheduled event is taking place. field use priority rankings. For exam- Saltdogs); the University of Haymarket Park will also tie into the ple, UNL has priority at the baseball ebraska at Lincoln; and the City of City of Lincoln's bike and recreation stadium in the spring and fall. Pro Lincoln. The complex will include a trails. Ample parking for automobiles baseball has priority in the summer. 6,000-seat baseball stadium that and bicycles will accommodate fans Both have priority time blocks for will serve as the home field for the and park users. camp and for special events. The City Saltdogs and the UNL Husker base- of Lincoln has 15 days to use the facil- ball team. The complex also will The facility is off of interstate l- ity as they want. Obviously, the base- include a stadium to be used as the 180, across from Memorial Stadium, ball field will be used early and often home field for the UNL Husker the home field of the UNL throughout the year and, with the women's team. The softball Cornhusker football team. The base- entities involved, expectations for the tadium will seat 750, and both sta- ball stadium will have a beautiful field and park are high. diums have been designed with view of both downtown Lincoln and future expansion in mind. Memorial Stadium. continued on page 22

26 Apri/2001 sports TURF • http.//www.sportsturfonline.com continued from page 26 will impact maintenance, Almond I'm covering all the aspects and worked with us to redesign the irriga- details within this complex operation. tion system to isolate the first base They've been a tremendous source of Actual work on the project began line of the and the right side of information and confirmation. in the summer of 2000. I joined the the . We'll now be able to con- team as Athletic Turf Manager for trol these zones independently so we I've found much of my early role Lincoln Professional Baseball in can match irrigation with evapotran- has been as administrator and com- November of 2000. They understand spiration within the various sections municator. I've hired personnel, pur- the importance of getting the turf of the field. chased equipment, designed annual manager involved in the construc- flowerbeds and found annual flower tion project early. Successful fields The original plan of the softball sources, and developed the interior need a good design with good specs field called for the layout for my office, my assistants' but also must consider the short and around the infield. The infield is all offices, the crew areas and equipment long-term impact both will have on skinned material, with turf only in the areas for our maintenance building. field playability and maintenance outfield. This would have put the I've worked with the design and con- factors. A good working relationship warning track in direct contact with struction companies, with the UNL, between the architect and turf man- the infield material around the back- NEBCO, and City of Lincoln adminis- ager provides the ability to make stop and opened the door for contami- trations and with the coaches of the adjustments that will improve nation of the infield material. Almond user group teams. The opportunity to results and ultimately save time and adjusted the design to extend the develop relationships with all the dif- money. infield sand, silt and clay mix to the ferent players will make coordination wall all the way around the infield. easier for all of us down the road. We're fortunate to have Dan Almond with Millennium Sports We've collaborated in other areas The softball stadium is slotted for Technology from Littleton, Colo., as as well, adjusting the composition of play in the fall of 2001. The baseball the architect on this project. He's the infield mix for the softball field stadium is scheduled to open on June open to discussion on maintenance and discussing water pressure needs 1 of 2001. We hope to get the Husker factors and has worked with us to for the facility. team in during May to finish their make some adjustments in these ini- season. Sampson Construction of tial stages. I'm overseeing all aspects of Lincoln, Neb., is the general contrac- grounds on this project, not only the tor and Nemaha Nurseries, also from The baseball stadium is a beautiful fields, but also the landscaping and Lincoln, is the field contractor. I've design with an upper deck and suite plant installation and maintenance been impressed with the work of Jeff level. This will cast shade on sections and the parking lots and snow Emanuel and his crew, their dedica- of the field while other sections are in removal. I've tapped into my network tion to this project and the pride they full sunlight. Because the shading of peers as a resource to make sure take in their work.

An artist's rendition of the completed facility

30 April 2001 sports TURF• http.//www.sportsturfonline.com Winter conditions, however, have a little high for that, but may be need- ing from Graff Turf Farms in Fort hampered field construction. ed to help the field dry in the cool Morgan, Colo. The sod contains at Emanuel's crews were on the base- early spring temperatures during the least 85 percent sand in the soil for ball field the third week of Husker season. fewer interface problems. lfthe sod is November working on the subgrade. installed by April 1 for an opening day There were a few good working days The current UNL Buck Beltzer of June 1, we'll have a 60-day grow in. in December and January. At the baseball stadium has an artificial We're planning an extremely aggres- end of January, weather forced the turf infield and a natural bluegrass sive maintenance program with contractors to pull off the field for outfield. This spring has been fairly starter fertilizer, biostimulants and four straight weeks. typical in that the college playing micronutrients mixed into the sand season has begun with the men's before we lay the sod, and a similar March 1 was my target date for team having only a few days outside plan on the sod. We'll use soil and tis- sodding the . At that practice time; the women's team sue testing at least twice a week to point, crews were still working on the none. Part of the driving force monitor the sand profile and turf subgrade, trying to get machinery on behind construction of the new facili- nutrient levels so we can fine-tune the field with the freeze thaw cycle. ties is to allow earlier field access in the fertilization program. We'll begin The first goal is to get the subgrade to the spring. Both fields will have an aerification as soon as the sod is knit grade and certified and they've been in-ground heating system as well as to begin eliminating any layering forced to do it in sections. The site the subsurface air handling system issues. Mowing also will be on an earthmover is in charge of getting the so we can extend the growing seasons aggressive schedule. field subgrade to grade. This is in the spring and fall. checked for a variance of plus or minus Working with the project from the 1/2 inch on 25-foot centers and then The baseball stadium faces south- early stages gives me a definite certified by an outside engineer. Once east with the grandstand providing advantage in developing and operat- a section is certified, the playing field protection from northern winter ing the maintenance program. I've contractor takes over and begins dig- winds. The softball stadium faces had the opportunity to help eliminate ging the drainage laterals into the sub- northeast and will be exposed to win- some problems through design modi- grade. By the end of February they'd ter conditions. The baseball field is fications. I have a better handle on certified the left and center fields as on a flood plain; its stadium techni- the intricacies of the various systems one section and part of the infield. cally is not. The two fields will have and how they interact so I can use They were working on the right field different climates throughout the them to best advantage. I'm looking last. The lateral lines were set in left year that my maintenance program forward to getting this triple play field and part of center field. Once all will need to accommodate. facility in the game. the laterals are in, the drainage lines laid and the gravel in place, they'll The sod is a four-way blend of Dan Bergstrom is athletic turf have a supportive base to work on to Kentucky bluegrasses (NuGlade, manager for Lincoln Pro Baseball, spread the rest of the materials. Freedom II, Arcadia and Award) com- Lincoln, Neb.

Doing the work in sections means the drainage lines, subsurface air For Good Looking Sports Turf ... handling system and irrigation sys- tem also will be installed in sections. Choose Broyhill Extra care is needed to insure the pieces all come together properly and • Broyhill FastLine , Starline , and Kombi~ that consistency is maintained line markers feature Broyhill's exclusive throughout the entire sand profile. Fastkiner" non-clogging, rain-re istant paint. • Broyhill Stadium Vac~ Stadium Blade, and The baseball field profile varies Ball Field Finishe utility vehicle acce orie somewhat from the standard USGA ensure top-of-the-line urface maint nance. sand field with a higher degree of • Plu a full line of the industry's best sprayer , coarseness in the coarse gravel level. aerator, and other turf-grooming equipment. The 9-112 inches of sand root zone mix is USGA spec with a 90/10 sand/Dakota peat ratio. The sand is from a local source, Western Sand and Gravel of Ashland, Neb. Making you look good The baseball field infield skin specs call for a 60 percent sand, 20 For more information on Broyhill' broad line of turf care equipment, percent silt, and 20 percent clay mix. call 800.228.1003 or visit www.Broyhill.com We'll condition that with both vitri- fied and calcined clay, and work with Circle 121 on Inquiry Card. the mix to get the right feel. Both of the coaches are requesting a firm, fast surface. The 60 percent sand may be

sports TURF• http://www.sportsturfonline.com April 2001 31