A combination of Terratile and Terracover II in action at Durham
Covermaster and Terraplas North America are pleased to announce that the City of Durham, North Carolina, purchased 60,000sqft of Terratile and 10,000sqft of Terracover II for their baseball facilities. As Beth Emerson, City Project Management Division Manager confirmed: “We see this as a significant add-on to the current US$6m renovation project for the ‘old’ Durham Bulls Stadium — which was the locale for the hit movie ‘Bull Durham’ — and is now the Durham Athletic Park (DAP). “Our Terraplas system got immediate use this September 19-20 for our annual Durham Blues Festival, and the follow-up World Beer Festival, October 4-5, both of which were held at the newer Bulls Ballpark due to the ongoing renovation. Emerson added: “With the added opportunity of a continuing return on investment through the Terraplas USA Rentals program, with rentals to other ballparks and stadiums, we consider it an excellent deal. The Durham rentals program is administered by Rukea Womack, Acting City Recreation Manager.”
Emerson further advised: “Most of the funding for the DAP renovation and the Terraplas purchase came from a 2005 municipal bond issue. With plans by Boston architect D’Agostino Izzo Quirk, the project will be completed for the spring 2009 baseball season. We’re putting in a state-of-the-art, sand-based, athletic field, new clubhouses, restrooms and renovated concession areas, plus 400 new seats for a total 2,000 fixed seats and added lawn seating,” “Since the AAA Bulls — top affiliate of the American
League champion Tampa Bay Rays — play next door, we won’t have another minor league team, but Minor League Baseball Inc. will operate the facility for the City, and will use it as a training facility for their 160 teams. It will also be home field for North Carolina Central University in Durham and the Durham School of the Arts magnet high school, for City Parks & Recreation league play, plus festivals and other special events,” Emerson confirmed.
The DAP is currently under renovation, so the Blues Festival and the World Beer Festival were both held in the new Bulls stadium. For the Blues Festival, Terracover II provided the access roadway and platform for the mobile stage and various concession tents. The stage was set at the location of second base and the Terratile natural grass cover system was ‘locked’ into the Terracover II. This covered the complete infield grass, all the way in to the 1st and 3rd base dugouts.
Durham Bulls Turf Manager, Scott Strickland, used the coverage time of three days to accomplish another task — just prior to the installation of the Terratile, he had the field grass cut short, aerated and over-seeded. He explained: “We used the ‘greenhouse’ effect of the Terratile to accelerate rehabilitation of the infield grass and speed up our preparation for the winter ahead. The results were spectacular. The infield and the aprons around the infield looked great after being covered for three days.”
