Houston’s Four Seasons Park will have three operational fields again by the beginning of next year’s soccer season.
Houston council has recently authorized the use of $9000 donated by the Houston Soccer Association to rehabilitate one of the fields.
Currently only two of the three fields at Four Seasons Park are in operation.
According to a district staff report, the third field was taken out of operation in 2018 due to poor playing surface conditions caused by poor maintenance in previous years.
“The field requires a thick layer of top soil to correct the current problem, as there is a layer of crush on top of the pitch,” states the staff report. “The crush makes it dangerous for users’ personal safety as well as district equipment and staff to mow the area.”
Gerald Pinchbeck, Houston’s Chief Administrative Officer, said the district will be layering topsoil and reseeding this field.
“We are anticipating that the field will be usable next year,” he told Houston Today.
The Houston Soccer Association began using Four Seasons Park to host their soccer practices and a few tournaments in 2017, which has continued into 2018.
“We had to use Four Seasons for games since the Houston Secondary School fields took longer to dry,” explained Sarah Opdendries, president of the Houston Soccer Association.
Without the third field, Opdendries said the Houston Soccer Association has had to use a field that does not have the full size required for their games.
“I think having all three fields operational is great for soccer,” she said. “It creates more playing room, and if there are games there next year we will have a proper sized field.”
The other two fields at Four Seasons Park are in “fairly good” conditions, according to Opdendries.
“There are a few dips in areas but overall good,” she said, adding that she’s pleased with the way the soccer fields have been maintained by the district over the last couple of years.
“They make sure our fields are freshly mowed, and we really appreciate the nice washroom that they put at Four Seasons.”
However, Opdendries says that an extra bathroom would be an asset as baseball games are also held at that location.
“When the two sports are being played that’s a lot of children and families that could need the bathroom, and when a tournament is hosted there is usually a lineup,” she said. “But this is a minor request, not a big concern.”
The Houston Soccer Association raised the $9000 through registrations over the years.
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