New Field Opens

Balls will begin flying at Kelowna's first full-size outdoor artificial sportsfield on Saturday, October 21st at 12:00 p.m. when a number of local athletes join Mayor Sharon Shepherd and MLA Sindi Hawkins at centre field for the Official Kick-Off. Come out and celebrate!

The public is invited to try out the new artificial turf between 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m., balls will be provided. KickStart, Kelowna's Active Communities Initiative, will be on hand to provide free snacks, tips to get you moving and lots of great prizes.

Regular field programming begins at 2:00 p.m. when the Kelowna Sun midget football team takes on the Mission 9'ers followed by a Central Okanagan Youth Soccer Game beginning at 5:30 p.m.

The artificial field surface is more durable than grass providing the ability to extend the playing season in the spring and fall, allowing more use than grass fields. The City already has several bookings for the new field between now and Christmas.

The $5.1 million project features: " A full size artificial turf sportsfield, with sport lights, permanently marked for soccer, football and field hockey " Two natural turf fields expected to be operational by the fall of 2007 " 100 parking stalls " 1,100 metres of asphalt walking trails " Shade shelters and cooling misters for athletes " A drinking fountain at each sportsfield.

This marks the opening of phase one of the Mission Recreation Park stadium future plans call for the addition of bleachers, washrooms and changing rooms.

"Kelowna is a very active community with more than 50 different organizations logging over 30,000 hours on City sportsfields," says Jim Gabriel, Sport and Recreation Manager. "The three new fields will have a significant impact on our available field inventory, especially the artificial turf which supports over four times the use of a natural turf field."

Once all new fields are open Mission Recreation Park will be home to eight outdoor sportsfields, two indoor multi-courts, two NHL size ice arenas, a fitness facility, quad softball complex, a 5.2 kilometre trail network and a wetland. Future plans for Mission Recreation Park call for the addition of stadium bleachers, the new aquatic centre including a 50-metre pool and leisure facility, a second quad softball complex, public plaza, playground, basketball courts, skateboard park and an expanded trail network.