Some City facilities, identified through a triage system to manage the use of sports fields amid the ongoing drought crisis, are off limits until further notice.
The City of Cape Town’s Recreation and Parks Department has started tracking the condition of its sports fields to manage both playing surfaces impacted by the drought crisis and the expectations of sporting codes.
The triage system which assesses the condition of sports fields and then places a limit on usage depending on the outcomes is being done in consultation with the South African Football Association.
‘For much of the summer, we were unable to irrigate sports fields because of water restrictions. The result is that many fields are not in optimum condition and we have to act to mitigate further damage. This is why we have implemented the triage system, so that we can manage the use of the facilities and ensure the safety of those using them,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security; and Social Services, Alderman JP Smith.
The triage system measures the condition of sports field, using the following criteria:
- Grass cover: this is to indicate the percentage of grass cover on the field
- Density: density refers to the number of shoots per square metre of lawn. If the sod is dense, with a lot of shoots close together, it will receive a higher score. If the density is low with the shoots spaced further apart, the turf will receive a low score
- Sod thickness: this refers to the depth of the grass sod and extent of the root system. A healthy thick sod will most likely also have a good density and be slightly spongy when stepping onto the turf
- Playability: the principle of playability is scoring the field on how well it plays. Requirements for good playability are:
- Slight sponginess – allowing players to run and slide
- Stable surface allowing for traction – players not slipping easily
- Smooth ball roll
- Fast and even ball roll for passing and running
- Drains freely – no puddles
- Uniform grass cover directly correlates to good quality playing surface
- Compaction: compaction relates to the porosity of the soil. Compacted soil will have lower drainage rates and carry less oxygen for optimal turf growth. Signs of compaction include hard soil structure that is very firm under foot, water not draining freely, and excessive water remaining on the field after it has rained or irrigation has taken place
Each criterion is assigned a score out of 10 and the collective score determines whether the field is useable, useable for limited periods only, or completely off limits.
A sample list of 92 sports fields found 22 to be completely unusable, 37 were judged to be useable for a maximum of four hours per week, 20 could be used for up to six hours a week, and 13 were judged to be useable for eight hours a week.
‘The fields are assessed every week and so their status may well change, depending on the amount of rainfall we receive. However, the reality is that we probably won’t be able to irrigate the fields regularly come next summer as the drought crisis is likely to persist, certainly in the short- to medium-term. The City is committed to providing quality facilities for all communities, but we’re in an unprecedented situation and so I appeal to all concerned to please bear with us and support our efforts to preserve our facilities. While limiting access is unfortunate, it is a much smaller price to pay than allowing deterioration to the point where we have to build entirely new fields,’ added Alderman Smith.