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64 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, August 26, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend June 2, 2004 Artificial turf to be installed at Spiegelberg Stadium FieldTurf will allow for year-round use for sports and other events without fear of tearing up the surface By TIM TROWER Mail Tribune Spiegelberg Stadium, the grand old venue for some of the state’s finest high school football, will rush into the modern era this summer with the installation of artificial turf and the prospect of year-round, multifaceted use. "The exciting thing is," said Ed Singler, president of the Linebackers Club spearheading the $700,000 project, "it will allow more people in this community access to one of our best assets, which is Spiegelberg Stadium." It’s a grass-roots project without the grass. Ground is to be broken on June 14, and the work is expected to be completed by Aug. 23, in time for the prep football and soccer seasons. In addition to the laying of FieldTurf, a state-of-the-art surface used in professional and college venues as well as at high schools, the track surrounding the playing field will be resurfaced. Advertisement Singler and others involved were to give a presentation and field questions at a meeting of the Medford School Board Tuesday night. Chief among the Linebackers concerns is that moving ahead will be perceived as insensitive given the financial plight of the education system. However, funds for refurbishing the stadium, adjacent to South Medford High, are coming from private donations and in-kind labor, said Singler, not taxpayer money. Linebackers has raised roughly $500,000 — some of it still to be collected — pending the completion of contracts. "We understand the challenges school districts are confronted with," said Singler, "and that’s something we’ve been sensitive to from the outset as to whether we go forward with it. "We did come to the agreement that there’s no better time to move forward. We didn’t think waiting would solve any issues." The project wouldn’t get any cheaper and there’s no apparent short-term fix to the school-funding crisis yet there continues to be a demand for field space in Medford, he said. "The mission of the Linebackers is to support the school district’s needs," said Singler, "and this is a need they have." FieldTurf is made from grasslike fibers and a soft composite of silicon sand and ground-up Nike rubber soles. The blades feel like real grass, but the surface is easier on ankles and knees than hard-packed ground or other artificial surfaces. It’s in use at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, the Oregon State University indoor football facility and Seahawks and Husky stadiums in Seattle. The surface is expected to last about 15 years, said Singler, although none have been in service that long. The oldest field is at Lake Oswego High, where FieldTurf was installed eight years ago. "That field is in very good condition today," said Singler. The primary users of the new Spiegelberg will be football, soccer and track teams, but because there won’t be worries of tearing up the turf, it could host graduations, concerts and other events that could use seating for up to 7,000. Singler said he’d like to see the facility in use seven nights a week. User fees for events not associated with the school district would likely be charged, he said, providing a source of income. Further, maintenance fees — lining the field, mowing, fertilizing, watering — wouldn’t be applicable, but other costs, such as increased lighting, would come into play. Mike Dunn, president of the Rogue Valley Cup Association and the Rogue Valley Soccer Club, said there are more than 2,000 soccer players ages 5 to 19 who are "jazzed and psyched" about the prospect of playing on the flawless surface, including the possibility of playing some games under the lights in front of large weekend crowds. The club is donating $75,000 up front, said Dunn, and the Cup group will donate between $25,000 and $50,000 over a span of five years toward replacement of the original surface. "It’s fantastic," said Dunn. "Southern Oregon is one of the last places along the I-5 corridor to be getting this." Talk of such a project has been going on for several years, said Singler. But when former district Superintendent Steve Wisely and district Athletic Director Bruce Howell announced their retirements, the effort was shelved, said Singler. When Dick Gregory replaced Wisely, the Linebackers gained his support for the project and moved forward. Former Linebackers president Doug Strahm is credited with getting the group to buy into the idea. "He’s the one who really got this thing kick-started," said Singler, "and he continues to actively work on the committee." This is the largest project the Linebackers has undertaken, from a financial standpoint, said Singler. The group was formed in 1961, and its first task was also a big one: get the west grandstands built at Spiegelberg. In 1987, the group raised half of the $100,000 to turn the stadium’s cinder track into the all-weather surface it is today. The Bowerman Foundation donated the other half. For more information, see www.fieldturf.com . Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 776-4479, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities