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ENLARGE
Heavy equipment and operators were busy removing sod and dirt from the Summit High School athletic field recently, making way for the new synthetic turf field, which is scheduled to be completed by the start of the fall sports season.
The Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) Board has awarded $200,000 in Lottery funds to Summit County for the Summit TURF Project to help construct the county's first artificial turf fields at the high school.
The artificial turf will provide an environmentally-sound alternative to natural grass, which does not grow well in the area's high altitude and cold weather.
Working with the Summit County School District and the towns of Breckenridge and Frisco, Summit County will use its GOCO grant to help renovate Summit High School's current natural grass stadium field, which is used for football, soccer, lacrosse and rugby competitions, as well as other school and community events.
The renovation will entail removing the field's natural grass, regrading the soil, improving the existing drainage system and installing the synthetic turf.
The project has the support of a broad-based coalition of parents, coaches, student-athletes, businesses, youth and adult sport organizations and foundations.
The grant is among 55 awarded by the GOCO Board that are going to benefit 34 counties. Statewide, the projects will result in the preservation of 43,617 acres of open space, the addition or enhancement of 37 community outdoor recreation projects and create plans for five future projects.
The board had only intended to award $8 million for this round of grant requests, but increased the amount to accommodate more projects.
Grant applicants had requested $14.6 million with the majority of requests coming from local governments for outdoor recreation projects.
“At a time when people don't have as many resources to travel, it is important to make additional dollars available to fund outdoor projects in and near their communities,” said GOCO Board chairman Norma Anderson.
The artificial turf will provide an environmentally-sound alternative to natural grass, which does not grow well in the area's high altitude and cold weather.
Working with the Summit County School District and the towns of Breckenridge and Frisco, Summit County will use its GOCO grant to help renovate Summit High School's current natural grass stadium field, which is used for football, soccer, lacrosse and rugby competitions, as well as other school and community events.
The renovation will entail removing the field's natural grass, regrading the soil, improving the existing drainage system and installing the synthetic turf.
The project has the support of a broad-based coalition of parents, coaches, student-athletes, businesses, youth and adult sport organizations and foundations.
The grant is among 55 awarded by the GOCO Board that are going to benefit 34 counties. Statewide, the projects will result in the preservation of 43,617 acres of open space, the addition or enhancement of 37 community outdoor recreation projects and create plans for five future projects.
The board had only intended to award $8 million for this round of grant requests, but increased the amount to accommodate more projects.
Grant applicants had requested $14.6 million with the majority of requests coming from local governments for outdoor recreation projects.
“At a time when people don't have as many resources to travel, it is important to make additional dollars available to fund outdoor projects in and near their communities,” said GOCO Board chairman Norma Anderson.
