Capital Cost of Natural and Synthetic Sports Fields

Purpose:  This document serves as an interim report of progress to date on the project.
Date: August 28th, 2017 

Description

This project is creating a comprehensive cost analysis of constructing and maintaining multitude of types of synthetic fields and compare those costs to the construction and maintenance of different types of natural grass fields. This information will aid in the decision making process when schools and municipalities undertake the construction of new facilities. The cost analysis will include a 30-year cost analysis encompassing construction, maintenance, renovations and disposal of materials.

The project will accomplish this by:

• Creating a guide sheet comparing the cost of natural and synthetic fields cost fields over a 30 year cycle

• Creation of a working model in which factors could be changed to estimate costs of synthetic and natural fields             

Progress to date

A model for calculating future costs in today’s dollars was completed on schedule by April 2016. Unfortunately we have experienced delays in the current project in populating the costs into the model. A student was not identified in the summer of 2016 and due to a number of instances with our working group progress continued to be delayed. In the summer of 2017 an MBA student was identified and he has worked diligently throughout the summer to attain realistic costing for Western Canada and throughout Canada. The project is progressing and no additional funds will be requested until significant progress is made to develop the costing results into the interactive model for municipalities to alter based on their costs.

Students

This project served as a side project for a student who completed his Masters of Finance, Kristian Adomait. This summer a MBA student with familiarity with turfgrass management Jordan Kitchen has been working at filling in the costing estimates.

Timeline

The numbers for costing should be available by mid-September 2017. The development of a more interactive model would be dependent on the new communications position being hired by the Guelph Turfgrass Institute. This position has been advertised and interviews will commence soon. Completion of the project April 2018.