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A group of recreation employees and summer students work to install artificial turf on the infield of the Rankin Inlet ball diamond this past week. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

RANKIN INLET
The ball diamond in Rankin Inlet had a sparkling new look when play began in the local slo-pitch league yesterday, July 3.

The diamond's infield now features state-of-the-art turf thanks to the efforts of a number of funding partners.

The Rankin Inlet Co-ed Softball League put $25,000 towards the artificial turf project, while Sport Nunavut gave $65,000 and both Agnico-Eagle and the Kivalliq Inuit Association donated $5,000.

Rankin rec co-ordinator David Clark said the turf comes from UBU Sports in the United States.

He said the company, based out of Atlanta, Ga., has installed artificial turf in everything from NFL and university stadiums to small outdoor fields like Rankin's.

"Clint MacAulay of Niagara Falls, Ont., came to help install the turf and give us some training on the proper way to maintain it," said Clark.

"I've been wanting to get this done for several years, but it took time to get the funding to make it happen.

"We received the material on one of the last barges to arrive this past year, so we were all ready to go once Clint arrived.

"We had a sea can full of turf and 12 crates of the rubber and sand that goes on top of the turf to give it a more natural feel."

The total cost of the project came in at more than $100,000.

Clark said the turf has an eight-year warranty and the hamlet owns the equipment to properly care for it.

"We have a new groomer that maintains the artificial grass and the cut-up rubber that sits on top of it.

"It hooks up to a small tractor or ATV and Clint trained us how to operate it.

"We also have little maintenance kits to make small repairs to the surface if something does happen.

"We have a bit of the artificial grass leftover and we plan to use that for the tee-off boxes at the golf course."

Clark said kids are welcome to come play on the new turf, but they'll be expected to behave properly when doing so.

He said league and tournament play does, however, have priority on the field.

"We have a tarp to cover the field in winter.

"You don't really have to, but we paid the extra money for the tarp because I'd rather be safe than sorry.

"With our short summers, I can see this turf lasting up to 15 years.

"If the community appreciates the work that's gone into this and treats the turf the way it should be, I don't see a problem with it lasting that long."

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