RIDGEFIELD, Wash. — For residents of a part of the Pacific Northwest, the great outdoors became even greater last fall. That’s when an enormous sports complex opened in Ridgefield, Wash., featuring fields by AstroTurf, the leader in the synthetic turf industry.
The Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex is a 40-acre park with six AstroTurf fields that contain a RootZone product. There is nearly 14 acres of turf onsite. The project is a partnership with the Ridgefield School District and shares a site with the new Sunset Ridge Intermediated School and View Ridge Middle School. Ridgefield, located in southern Washington, is about 25 miles north of Portland, Ore. The suburb of Portland and Vancouver, Wash., has experienced a population surge that highlighted the need for a recreation complex. City officials expect the complex will draw residents from the surrounding area and will also be a hub for regional sports tournaments.
“We selected the AstroTurf RootZone product after an extensive turf selection process and touring several facilities,” said Bryan Kast, city of Ridgefield Public Works director. “We were impressed by the RootZone’s ability to reduce infill spray and migration, which gives a better and safer play experience.”
The RootZone 3D3 Blend is a premium product that combines slit film and monofilament fibers for optimum durability and structural integrity. It is highlighted by AstroTurf’s patented RootZone sub-layer, a texturized fiber that stabilizes infill and improves shock absorbency. The RootZone 3D3 Blended Fiber system is 60 ounces of fiber and has a 10-year warranty backed by annual AstroTurf maintenance plan. The Trionic fibers blend PE and nylon into an ultra-durable fiber that wears up to 50 percent better. This turf system will provide exceptional force reduction to reduce incidence of concussions and cleat interaction that better replicates well-maintained natural grass playing fields to reduce incidence of injuries to lower extremities.
The complex supports baseball, football, lacrosse, soccer and softball. The fields at the north end of the complex are in a baseball stadium capable of holding more than 2,000 spectators.There is also a premier soccer field that does not have permanent lines for other sports. The other fields are multi-purpose and are lined for other sports. There is a track encircling the football field along with trails snaking throughout the complex. A community center, amphitheater and picnic tables round out the project.