Andrée Vajda Janyk Sports Field

The sports field will be illuminated with LED fixtures to permit evening and night time use. Shields mounted onto the fixtures direct light to the sport field surface and thus reduce glare and light pollution to the surrounding neighbourhood. The light levels are anticipated to be approximately one third of the light levels of one ball diamond at Spruce Grove Park. Reservations are required to use the lights.

Parking

The municipality will monitor the Bayly Park parking lot accessed off of Legacy Way and consider expansion or other adjustments later in 2019 as required. The municipality is also monitoring other Bayly Park and Cheakamus Crossing parking issues.

Snow Removal

The municipality will not remove snow from the field unless under exceptional circumstances. Snow removal has the potential to damage the turf surface and invalidate the turf’s warranty, as well as disperse the infill product below necessary safety levels. Under no circumstances are users (Clubs, Associations, general public, etc.) permitted to snow clear any portion of the field.

Facility Operational Guidelines

Draft Facility Operational Guidelines (February 2019) have been developed. The Guidelines include information on the above topics and more including facility specifications, rental priorities and lighting.

Sports Field Naming

On October 2, 2018, Council voted unanimously on the official name of the Whistler's newest sports field. The new Sports Field at Cheakamus Crossing has been named the Andrée Vajda Janyk Sports Field in honour of late Councillor and community member Andrée Janyk.

Among Andrée's long list of legacies, she was instrumental in growing youth soccer in Whistler. The field will provide an improved outdoor playing surface in Whistler, and help meet the community's high demand for sport fields now and into the future.

Construction and Development Overview

Whistler Council approved the award of contracts to construct a full-sized sports field on June 5, 2018

The new sports field will be constructed at Bayly Park in Cheakamus Crossing atop the existing gravel soccer field. The field will include:

Markings for one full size and two mini soccer pitches, baseball infield and football yards
Alternative artificial turf field infill product
LED lighting
Perimeter fencing
Potable drinking water service
Modest landscaping

The sports field will provide an improved outdoor playing surface in Whistler, and help meet the community’s high demand for sport fields, particularly in the spring and fall.

Construction Notes

Construction of the artificial turf field began in July 2018. In order to accommodate potential future uses adjacent to the sports field, the field is offset from the existing gravel field. Thirty existing trees surrounding the gravel field will be removed to accommodate the offset, and the existing loop pedestrian trail will be partially relocated.

Tree relocation is not possible given the trees’ excavation requirements and the proximity to the landfill membrane below.

The construction plan includes the planting of 35 new trees around the field and adjacent to the Legacy Way sidewalk.

Drinking water will be provided to the field and to the adjacent dog off leash area.

View the Site Development Plan

Budget

Municipal Council approved a total project budget of $2.815 million in the 2018-2022 Five Year Financial Plan.

Annual maintenance costs are estimated to be $25,000-$35,000 including hydro costs. Consideration is being given to offsetting costs through user fees.

For reference purposes, grass fields in Whistler typically cost $20,000 a year for maintenance, a small portion of which is offset by user fees.

The sports field is anticipated to have a lifespan of 10 to 15 years, with an all-inclusive replacement cost of $800,000.

Materials

The infill material for the sports field will be a mix of Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) and sand, rather than the commonly used infill type crumb rubber.

A food safe material, TPE combines thermoplastics with an elastomeric component for soft, flexible products. It is commonly used in the medical industry as well as in household items such as grips on pens, toothbrushes, toddler sippy cups and phone cases. It has proven successful in artificial turf fields located elsewhere in British Columbia.

At the end of its useful lifespan the turf will be shipped to a turf recycling facility currently under construction in California, if options to repurpose the turf prove unsuccessful.

Turf fibres can be separated from the backing material, and each material can be processed into small pellets or beads, which are then incorporated into other manufacturing products like plastic lumber and household products.

The field also includes a shock pad which provides improved impact absorption and drainage. The shock pad is located directly below the turf surface, is made from foam waste and can be used in the replacement field. At the end of its useful lifespan the shock pad can be recycled in current recycling streams.

Background

The roots of the project originated in 2008 with community discussion about a potential field during the development of the Bayly Park Master Plan.

The need for this amenity was further explored in 2015 during the extensive community engagement for the Recreation and Leisure Master Plan.

The need for an artificial turf field was discussed at length by the Recreation and Leisure Advisory Committee with direction provided by Council.

In response to community discussion and the Recreation and Leisure Master Plan, the RMOW began investigations into an artificial turf field in 2015.

An indoor multi-purpose field-based recreation facility was considered, but due to high capital and operating costs, the focus of the project turned to a simpler and less costly outdoor artificial turf field.

In 2016 a needs assessment and multi-use recreation facility investigation was undertaken and presented to council. View the Committee of the Whole Presentation on December 1, 2016 and the Committee of the Whole Presentation on December 6, 2016.

Following council’s direction to proceed, staff advanced various aspects of the project, with an update to council provided in March 2017. View the Council Presentation and Council Report No. 17-017.

A careful review of potential sites was undertaken and Bayly Park was chosen as the preferred site in November 2017. Council voted to move the project into the design and construction phase. View the Council Presentation and Council Report No. 17-125.

The project was tendered in May 2018. The results were presented to Council at their June 5, 2018 meeting. View the Council Presentation and Council Report No. 18-068