Title
Review and Recommend Alameda Soccer Club’s Proposal to Repurpose and Maintain the Courts Adjacent to the Hornet Field at Alameda Point.
Body
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Recreation and Park Commission
From: Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Re: Review and Recommend Alameda Soccer Club’s Proposal to Repurpose and Maintain the Courts Adjacent to the Hornet Field at Alameda Point.
BACKGROUND
The Alameda Recreation and Parks Department (ARPD) collaborates with the Alameda Soccer Club (ASC) on its fields to provide soccer opportunities to Alameda youth. The City currently has two leases with ASC for their use, operation and maintenance of the Lexington Fields and Hornet Field at Alameda Point. This has been a successful partnership that allows ASC to use these fields for hundreds of youth participants while also taking a financial burden off of the City for maintenance of those fields.
ASC has proposed a new use for four abandoned tennis courts at Alameda Point, adjacent to the Hornet Field.
DISCUSSION
ASC is proposing to renovate the unused tennis courts (Exhibit A) and repurpose them for use as soccer practice fields with synthetic turf overlaid onto the existing court surfacing. ASC will fully fund the renovation of these courts and intends to secure donations to assist with that effort. This is not a permanent use of this facility but is an excellent interim use. It is a cost effective way to reuse an existing space to meet field demands. By using synthetic turf, ASC can utilize these fields year-round, regardless of weather.
ASC will be responsible for the following:
• Clean up the existing tennis courts and address all safety issues including tree limbs, fencing repairs (cross bars and fabric, as needed) and trip hazards. Use will be allowed once ARPD inspects the renovation and provides written authorization.
• Install a locking gate at the entrance of the first tennis court (closest to the street) and create an open access point between the first set of courts and the second set of courts.
• Install artificial turf on the first two courts (at minimum during the first year) and seal for safety purposes. Artificial turf will be installed on the second set of courts as funding becomes available. The fill of the artificial turf will be recycled crumb rubber material.
• ASC will schedule use of the fields for practice. This will include ASC youth leagues and allows for use by ARPD and other Alameda youth sports leagues, consistent with the Hornet Field and Lexington Field lease parameters.
• Field use will be year-round. The fields will remain locked when not in use and access will be managed by ASC with any keys and combinations provided to ARPD.
• These fields may use the current existing Hornet Field light towers for illumination on Friday and Saturday nights if there is a high enough demand.
• Fields will be used for pre-game practice areas during the fall and spring seasons.
• ASC will be responsible for all maintenance and operations.
• Signage shall be posted on use terms and access similar to that of Hornet field and the Lexington fields.
Other standard lease conditions will be required, similar to those in the Hornet Field and Lexington Field leases, such as insurance and keeping the site clean and safe.
Pending approval of the Recreation and Parks Commission, the next step will be to receive final authorization from the City Council for the lease.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Similar to the existing Hornet Field and Lexington Field leases, this use will be provided at no cost to ASC. This project creates additional field space for youth sports at no cost to the City for operations or maintenance.
RECOMMENDATION
Review and Recommend Alameda Soccer Club’s Proposal to repurpose and maintain the courts adjacent to the Hornet Field at Alameda Point
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Exhibits:
1. Project Location and Existing Conditions