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Sooke turf field expected to be open by September

Fundraiser on Saturday hopes to bring in more money and volunteer support to the project
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Extensive work on the Sooke turf field will run for majority of the summer, with an expected opening date for late September. (File Photo)

Soccer, football and other local sports could play on a functional turf field by the end of September this year, organizers say.

Work on the field began in April, with volunteers providing time and equipment in preparing the groundwork for the next construction stages.

There’s a fair bit to go though, said turf field project organizer Andrew Quinn-Young, adding the group will hold a fundraiser event on June 10 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Fred Milne soccer field to help raise funds and awareness. Currently, the volunteer group still needs to raise between $250,000 to $300,000 to cover costs.

So far, the Sooke community has come though, which is why Quinn-Young is optimisitc.

“It’s a lot of work, but it’s really exciting to watch the community come together,” he said, adding several volunteers provided their time to work machinery and help prepare the groundwork.

On Saturday he hopes people will donate dollars, but also donate building materials such as lumber and landscaping supplies with the drainage rock and the pipe. People can donate their time by driving machines as well, or if they want to come out and help build some of the formwork that needs to be done before the cement is poured sometime between July or August.

Idea is to have kids playing on it by the end of September as it will fit right in with the start of the soccer season.

“That’s what we’re shooting for, and it looks like we’re going to do a good job of hitting that target,” he said, adding that a functioning turf field will help increase access to athletics and sports in Sooke. In the past, soggy and muddy soccer fields led to cancelled games, causing players to stop playing in Sooke.

With Sooke’s own turf field, that is about to change this coming fall.

“This will allow us to play year-round soccer, but also be able to facillitate football and baseball, and certainly other sports. Hopefully we’ll have rugby down there too,” Quinn-Young said.

For more info, or to support the project, go to sooketurffield.com, send an email to andrewqy@gmail.com or call 250-858-4331.