MNLA hoping to renovate football field at Minneapolis South High School

We enjoyed meeting with you and discussing the primary and practice fields at South High School.
We’ve discussed the situation and developed the following recommendations:
1. Practice Field
a. The field is uneven, has rocks, glass, and even chunks of concrete in it, causing an extremely unsafe environment for athletes and students who use the field regularly for phy ed classes. There is little bluegrass or desirable grasses to work with. The field is mainly knotweed, which will need to be killed off prior to seeding. Without an irrigation system, new grass isn’t likely to live therough a hot summer. The field is very uneven with mud and standing water in many locations making it unusable on most days. On our second trip to the site, there were 30 Canadian Geese feeding in the standing water, leaving plenty of droppings that no student would want to play in, not to mention carrying this material into the school or ruining clothes. The field needs to be leveled to promote grass growth, allow rain to runoff, and keep geese off. We can save money by seeding, which will provide just as high quality field as sod, but students will need to stay off for 4 weeks. The seed will need to be fertilized regularly, and broadleaves need to be sprayed 2-3 times per year to get the grass established, thick and green.

b. The Irrigation system has been removed. Since all sprinkler heads but one have been taken out, and the system hasn’t operated in 10+ years, water has almost certainly leached into the pipes and frozen, causing the pipes to break lengthwise, making them impossible to repair. There is an irrigation controller and a 2 ½ or 3” backflow that could probably be used, and looks like hooking up to the existing line might be relatively easy, although we’ll have to dig and test the connection to know for certain.
c. The cost for a new irrigation system using the present hookup should be under $10,000 depending on the pressure and gallons per minute available to use in the system.
d. The weeds need to be sprayed prior to installing the black dirt. Cost for application is $450.00
e. The field needs about 80-100 yards of screened black dirt. We discussed grading the present field. The field was used as a dumping ground while the school was being buit, so grading might just expose more waste and concret. Adding dirt, and creating a crown that allows the water to runoff, will make for a long lasting solution. Cost $4,800
f. The next step is to seed the field. We’re suggesting a tall fescue-bluegrass blend that can withstand heavier traffic than bluegrass alone. Cost for seeding $2,150
g. Fertilizer for starting the new grass seed. Cost $425
h. 2 more applications of fertilizer and weed control Cost $650

Total Cost for Practice field renovation: $18,425

Primary Field.
This field is in relatively good shape. There are 2 problems with the field, which is used 3-4 times per week for varsity football and soccer games. We agree with Tom Wassman and Mark Sanders that the practice field needs attention now. The primary field can wait until the practice field is in good shape.
a. There is a sprinkler system, but it doesn’t have adequate pressure or enough gallons per minute to diffuse the spray and provide an acceptable level of irrigation. The present system basically creates 40’ green rings with the first 20’ receiving a lower than needed amount of water. The system needs to be separated into 3 zones, with a new controller, and 3 valves installed.
b. The other problem is the grade of the field. The grade of the crown is high on the west site, but really high on the east side. The crown is so high in the middle that a soccer player on one side of the field can’t see the soccer ball on the other side of the field. This field needs to be re-graded.
c. As for the stands and facilities, there are no lights, there is no bathrooms, and there is a need for a concessions trailer where chocolate, chili, and even tickets can be sold. This will certainly raise more than enough money to pay for the trailer and make the experience more enjoyable for athletes, fans and visiting teams.
Please call me to discuss any or all of these options. We look forward to working with you in the future.
Sincerely,
Steve Hoogenakker, Tom Connors and Tom Polak
763-213-2410 – Steve@Landscape.Pro
Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association

South High School Minneapolis gets help for it's football fields

Minnesot Nursery and Landscape Association
Hello everyone,
I wanted to update everyone about South High School. At the bottom of this email is a link to a story about a landscape company volunteering to replace a basball field for Bluffton High School some of their kids died in a bus crash! I would welcome any ideas, feedback that you might have. Here's the short story with extra details below. Tom Connors and I went out to South on Tuesday.The practice field is a mess. It's uneven, with rocks, glass, and at least one piece of concrete right in the middle of the field that's been there quite a while. There WAS an irrigation system, but it hasn't been run in 10 years. We found one brass 8280M Sprinkler head, ( a google search couldn't identify the model) and there's a Buckner 10 zone controller. There's a big backflow and it looks like 3" main. We decided that the field can't be sustained without a sprinkler system. Here's the scoop: The field is about 260' by 350'. It needs dirt, or grading by an operator more skilled than me, seed, fert and sprayed for broadleaf. A soil test would be a good idea. I think it's a sandy loam, so structure will be good. Any chunks or rocks will have to be removed as well. The school WILL close off the field or do whatever is necessary to help if someone is willing to help with the fields. After talking to Mark Sanders, the Athletic Director, we think that redoing the practice field might be enough to get the parents and boosters involved with more improvements as well as pride in the school. If anyone wants to contact the school directly, contact Mark Sanders at 612-668-4323 or Mark.Sanders@mpls.k12.mn.us , or email me. At this time, they've asked me to put a plan together to submit to the Mpls School District, because the powers that be won't allow any work to be done until it's checked over, even if volunteered. Estimates:80 yards black dirt spread and graded.300-400 pounds of seedFert - Sprayand irrigation. Looks like we're pushing for spring, which is OK because it gives everyone time to put the plan and materials together. More detail:We met with Tom Wosman, the Engineer in charge of South's Property and Mark Sanders, the Athletic Director. There are 2 fields. There is the main football field and the practice field. While both fields need work, the main field is in pretty good shape, although there are no lights, 2 porta potties (imagine this during homecoming), no ticket booth. They can't even sell hot dogs or hot chocolate. This field has such a high crown on it that the soccer players can't see the soccer ball from the other side of the field! Like I said, this field isn't bad, other than the crown and the fact that the irrigation system is composed of 1 zone with such low pressure, they can't diffuse the spray on the sprinkler headsThe practice field is another story.It's It's not much better than mud, knotweed and random patches of bluegrass. The field is uneven, and the day we were out there, there were puddles.There were rocks in it, and at least one concrete piece sticking out. The practice field is used by the students for all outside activities, so the danger of injuries is pretty good. Here's the article about Bluffton basballhttp://www.landscapemanagement.net/landscape/On+the+Record/This-baseball-field-is-not-just-any-baseball-field/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/462137?contextCategoryId=450That's All for now!Steve

Steve Hoogenakker
Teri Hoogenakker
Paul Hoogenakker
Kirsten Hoogenakker
Gerrit Hoogenakker
Showcase Landscape