With close to 700 members aged five to 75 playing rugby, soccer, cricket and fastpitch, the Meraloma Athletic Club has more than a vested interest in the quality and condition of the playing fields at Connaught Park.
That's why Drew Sagar, the club's president, is pleased the park board is going ahead with much-needed upgrades to the busy park, which is also used by three neighbouring high schools and the Kitsilano War Memorial Community Centre.
The grass fields will be elevated to the highest Grade A status and will gain sprinklers and a drainage system. But because of budget constraints, the improvements will not happen at the same time. They will be spread over two year-long phases that will see large portions of the park closed-twice.
"Practically, that means that the fields will be shut down for 12 to 18 months while the park board completes the scheduled work to 75 to 80 per cent of the field," explained Sagar in an email to the Courier. "Then, in another budgetary year, shut the other half of the field for another 12 to 18 months while they complete that work."
The first stage of upgrades begins Aug. 15. The "East Field," which includes the soccer field part of the cricket playing area and three ball diamonds, will be closed as of Sunday.
"The effects are twofold: cricket, soccer and fastpitch will lose the use of the field twice for up to three years and the parks board will incur additional equipment [and] labour costs to bring in the equipment a second time around," said Sagar.
Noting park board commissioners have been sympathetic to the concerns of the athletic club, Sagar said, "The good thing is that they're doing the fields. It's long overdue. We haven't played a rugby game on the eastern side of the field in years."
Park board chair Aaron Jasper said staff are looking into the possibility of drawing money from a future budget to complete the project in a single stage.
"Is there any money that can be shifted?" Jasper said. "Even if we were to somehow find the money, given the contract that we have, is that something that we're able to do?"
Cedarcrest Lands will complete one stage of upgrades at a cost of $760,000.
"This is a very significant project in our community as I would say that these are the most diverse and heavily used grass fields in Vancouver," Sagar said of the park located on 12th Avenue between Larch and Vine streets.
"Our position is that it makes the most practical sense both financially and economically to do the projects in a single phase."
Twitter: @MHStewart
