City scraps plans to replace Minto Field's 'sandpaper' turf

The City of Ottawa has decided that the cost of replacing the artificial turf at MintoField behind the Nepean Sportsplex is too high, leaving amateur footballteams scramblingto find places to practice and play.

A new $1.3-million turf was installed in 2015, but when players suffered scrapes and abrasions, local football teams deemed the new surface"unsafe" and like "sandpaper."

"We had nothing but cuts, scrapes, torn uniforms," said Scott Boxall, president of MyersRiders Football, about the decision to pull his amateur league from Minto Field.

"We had players coming off the field bloody." said Boxall, whose players range from seven to 18 years of age.

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Earlier this year, the city said it was looking at replacing the turf due after receiving complaints from players.

This week, however,Boxall and other local sports clubs received an email for Kevin Wherry, the city's manager of parks and facilities planning, confirming that the turf would stay.

"This pastFriday, we cancelled the procurement of the replacement turf at Minto Field," Wherry said in his email. "While this means no substantive changes for field hockey user groups, it does require we develop and confirm our short-and-long-term solutions for football in particular."

Boxallsaidhis league waslooking forward to playing on a brand new surface this September, afterthe city said it would be installing replacement turf that would be suitable for most sports.

But those plans have been scrapped, he said, because the only bid the city received for the project would cost more than the $500,000allocated for the job.

"It's like being promised a Christmas present, and then finding nothing under the tree." said Boxall, adding that his league is now scrambling for places to practice and play around the legion.

Former high school 'preferred' option for permanent field

In an email, Wherry later told CBC News that the city tried to negotiate with the bidder but when they couldn't convince them to drop their prices, they cancelled the tender request on July 27.

The short-term plan isto provide practice fields at the Confederation Education Centre"if temporary lighting can be secured," said Wherry.Quinn's Pointe Field in Barrhaven has also been slatedas a temporary practice area.

A number of "suitable" fields will be made available for games, he added.

Confederation isalso the "preferred" option for establishing a permanent"home field for football for this part of the west end of the city," Wherry said, with the second-best solutionbeing fields at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility at Mooney's Bay Park.

A "permanent solution" at either location would likely cost $600,000, he added. The earliest city fundswould be earmarked for the project would be 2018.

The city has scheduleda meeting with local amateur football groups for Wednesday.