The harsh and extended winter has left a trail of damage across the region, with one of the hardest-hit areas being the Fairfield Public Golf Course, where sustained freezing temperatures have decimated the Bermuda grass fairways.
Park officials report that the damage is consistent across much of the Midwest. One Fairfield groundskeeper, with four decades of experience, said he has only seen this level of turf destruction twice in his career. Park Superintendent Chris Jenkins added that a sod nursery in Princeton, Indiana, lost nine acres of Bermuda grass due to the same conditions.
To restore the fairways, the Fairfield Park District is launching a $50,000 replacement project, converting from Bermuda to Zoysia grass over a two-year timeline. Remaining Bermuda grass will be killed off and reseeded with Zoysia, a slower-starting but more resilient grass that should eventually provide stronger and more reliable coverage.
Park staff and grounds crews are already working hard to begin the process, but many sections of the course remain brown and bare in the meantime. Even Fairfield Community High School’s football field, which also uses Bermuda grass, may have suffered significant turf loss.
January’s brutal cold was a major factor—29 of the month’s 31 days saw below-freezing temperatures, including 10 days in the single digits.
Meanwhile, the Fairfield Park Board is moving forward with plans for a long-awaited Splash Pad. Originally estimated to cost around $1 million, the project has now been scaled back to a more feasible $500,000.
Park Board President Jay Fyie reported that the district already has $500,000 in donations secured to fully fund the scaled-back version. Construction quotes are currently being gathered.
However, the park district is feeling some financial pressure elsewhere. Due to the cool spring, attendance at the Fairfield Swimming Pool has been significantly lower. Only about $7,500 has been collected in admissions so far, down from $11,500 this time last year.
Overall, the district’s checking account balance stands at $115,000, which is approximately $4,000 less than last year.
Despite the setbacks, district leaders remain optimistic as they push ahead with key projects and recovery efforts.
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