It is of note that in Frederick County, synthetic turf fields are considered to be permeable surfaces, therefore, stormwater management facilities were not required. Porous asphalt was permitted to be used for the parking lot expansion which eliminated the need for storm water management devices and reduced costs. Stormwater management for the large bleacher pad was handled by ESD credits.
Human & Rohde, Inc. was hired under our Frederick County IDQ contract to provide construction documents for Frederick County’s first synthetic turf field at Ballenger Creek Park. This was a high priority project with a compressed timetable that required close coordination and cooperation between the Division of Parks and Recreation (DPR), the consultants, and all review agencies. To further expedite the project and minimize costs, the County decided to contract the construction work to the synthetic turf field company, Field Turf USA, under the Keystone Purchasing Network (KPN) program which had already vetted numerous athletic field products and companies. The County similarly contracted the sports field lighting with Musco Lighting, Inc.; Stadium Solutions, Inc. provided the large bleacher unit with press box; and Daktronics Inc. was responsible for the electronic scoreboard. FieldTurf acted as general contractor for the entire project.
It was important to blend the project with the existing facilities at the park, protect existing utilities and adjacent residences and roadways, and to respect plans for future expansion while maximizing functionality and playable area. Human & Rohde developed and presented two (2) concept plans for the synthetic turf field for review by DPR. Once the location was determined, we prepared a preliminary plan for the layout and grading for the field and athletic field lighting which also showed expansion of the existing parking lot at the community building to handle the additional use, accessible walkways throughout the site and ADA-compliant pedestrian connection to the adjacent community, bleachers with press box, electronic scoreboard, fencing and safety netting, water service for hose bibs within the turf field and a drinking fountain in the bleacher area, electric panel area, paved maintenance access, portable toilet area, dedication monument, and landscaping.
Construction documents were prepared upon approval of the Site Plan including stormwater management, storm drain system, erosion and sediment control measures, water and electric system design, parking lot lighting, and security camera system. We coordinated with Allegheny Power and obtained County stormwater management and Frederick Soil Conservation District approvals. Although the project was not bid, a project manual with specifications and a proposal form for the work was prepared. We then provided construction administration services including shop drawing review and responses to questions during construction and inspected for substantial and final completion. In spite of an unusually rainy summer, construction was completed ahead of schedule in September 2014 at a cost of approximately $3.27 million.
