The District of North Vancouver has started work on a new artificial turf field at Inter River Park, aiming to enhance sports facilities and meet tournament standards.
The new artificial turf field is expected to significantly increase the availability of sports fields in the park by replacing the existing grass field, which has been deemed unfit for scheduled play due to its uneven surface and associated drainage problems.
The site for the new field was previously a landfill, making it prone to uneven settling. To address this issue, crews first compressed the fill and prepared the site for construction by ‘preloading’ it with approximately 72,500 tonnes of sand.
Traffic Impacts and Construction Details
The removal of preloaded material by truck will continue over the next few months. Construction hours are scheduled on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. and on Saturdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Construction vehicles are prohibited from using Premier Street to mitigate traffic congestion and must follow a designated route outlined in a provided map. The construction work will be intermittent, with periods of no activity expected.
Traffic control measures will be implemented during preload removal to manage traffic flow and ensure safety. Visitors to the park are urged to adhere to traffic flaggers and signage instructions in the area. While efforts will be made to minimize disruptions to park users and the surrounding community, residents should anticipate increased noise and dust during construction hours.
Background Information
The decision to construct a new artificial turf field stems from the compromised condition of the existing grass field at Inter River Park. Settlement of the field and associated infrastructure, such as backstops and dugouts, has been mainly attributed to its location atop a former landfill site.
Due to its uneven surface and drainage issues, the grass field was underutilized and only booked occasionally for sports activities. Introducing a new full-size tournament artificial turf field, suitable for soccer, football, and field hockey will establish Inter River Park as a premier tournament center for sports field users, and provide much-needed relief to existing grass fields throughout the area.
Why no tennis facilities in the inter river area?