Soccer Complex won't see cleats until spring due to grass issues

The Sager Creek Soccer Complex sits idle until spring. The city is combating sodding issues with the complex.
The Sager Creek Soccer Complex sits idle until spring. The city is combating sodding issues with the complex.

The Sager Creek Soccer Complex won't have players running the fields or parents rooting for their children until spring because of unexpected turf issues, city officials said.

Last year, the soccer fields were sodded with Bermuda grass but it has not completely grown together, leaving gaps for weeds to grow, said Siloam Springs Community Service Director Don Clark. In an effort to protect its investment, the city won't open the complex until the grass has had more time to mature.

"To put traffic on them (this fall) would have been detrimental," Clark said. "New fields take a while to be established -- it's one of those situations dealing with grass, is that it has to mature before you can put foot traffic on it."

Resident Ken Kloet said that the city invested several million dollars into the complex and he would like to see its use soon.

"It seems like a huge waste of land and taxpayer money if it isn't being used," Kloet said.

At an August Board of Directors meeting, Kloet addressed the board with his concerns about the complex and asked why the fields were overgrown and had 2-foot tall weeds.

In a meeting with the Herald-Leader, Clark said they allowed the grass to grow for weed control.

"We are top dressing the fields and spraying sand on them," Clark said. "We want to have good standing turf or we will have additional problems with the foot traffic."

The city has looked into the best-management practices for turf, and a person from the maintenance crew is in training for management of the fields.

"We have been consulting with other soccer complexes to learn their practices so we can have the best-management practices set up before we start using it."

Once the fields are opened they will be used for competitive soccer tournaments, club and organized events that are scheduled through Parks and Recreation.

Dwayne Buxton, president of the Siloam Springs Futbol Club, said that the opening of the complex does not affect his club in any way.

"We want (the fields) to last and be an asset as long as possible," Buxton said. "Of course, we would rather wait and let the fields be ready before we get out there on them."

General News on 10/01/2014