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26 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday July 4, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com PHOTOS BY SABRINA BYRNES / OAKVILLE BEAVER OPENING DAY: The Oakville Redgales, including Ashlee Savana (left), and Oakville Cobras, including Addie Matos, girls' under-15 teams were the first to play a game on the new River Oaks Soccer Field. Right, Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer signs a jersey for a fan. FieldTurf facilities could help address shortage of fields Continued from page 25 facilities in Ontario to boast a Duo Field surface, according to FieldTurf Tarkett representatives, joining BMO Field in Toronto -- home of Toronto FC -- and Trent University in Peterborough. There are several advantages to installing FieldTurf, the company's representatives point out, including the minimization of required maintenance. The one that particularly interested the Oakville Soccer Club, however, is the fact that the surface can be used almost year-round, therefore increasing the number of playing hours available to club teams. "We are close to 11,000 members, and we have 800 kids on a waiting list," said Jean Gandubert, the club's chief administrative officer. "The only reason for that is we cannot add more games because of a lack of fields. We're about 54 fields short, and the Town has acknowledged that as part of its master plan." Gandubert said one FieldTurf surface is the equivalent of three soccer fields. "It's a small step," he said. "We are working closely with the Town, councilors and the Mayor to get more facilities." The Oakville Soccer Club is making it easy for the Town to consider adding more. The River Oaks Soccer Field, a project that cost more than $1 million according to Gandubert, was financed by the club. Details of the public-private partnership, confirmed by Town commissioner Domenic Lunardo, include the Oakville Soccer Club paying for construction and maintenance of the field. The club will lease the land from the Town for 10 years, after which the Town will retain ownership of "Natural turf is the field. always subject to The Oakville the weather, the Soccer Club will be permitted to retain rain, to divots and revenues earned to damage, but from rental of the this surface field during that provides the 10-year span, but greatest flexibility. must reserve 14 hours a week for The season can use of the field by be expanded." other community groups. Town commissioner Similar agreeDomenic Lunardo ments could be in the works for Pine Glen Field, possibly by the end of this year, and the new North Park community complex the Town is considering developing on 79 hectares of land at Neyagawa Boulevard and Dundas Street. "We're absolutely excited," Lunardo said. "(River Oaks Soccer Field) is one of hopefully many artificial sports fields we plan to work on with our sports groups, especially soccer. It's a great opportunity for the kids here in Oakville to go to the next level, a great training facility for them. "It's opportunity for flexibility," he continued. "Natural turf is always subject to the weather, the rain, to divots and to damage, but this surface provides the greatest flexibility. The season can be expanded." Gandubert said the addition of such facilities (he estimated as many as six of eight soccer fields at North Park might boast the artificial surface) would make Oakville an ideal spot to host major tournaments, such as Ontario Cup finals and national club championships. "Those are usually played late in the fall, when facilities and fields are always an issue," he said. "If you can run an entire tournament on a consistent field, that's a great advantage. We could be the first club to do that." `Closest thing to natural turf' Duo Field is a monofilimant surface with a two-inch infill of cryogenic rubber and a mixture of silica sand, FieldTurf Tarkett president Bill Searle said. With 14 layers, Searle said, it's "basically the closest thing to natural turf that is out on the market." Each group of synthetic grass blades features four hard blades and four soft blades, designed to make playability better and keep the rubber pellets in place. The River Oaks Soccer Field has eight inches of granular and a drainage grid system underneath it, said Searle, who estimated the field would drain eight inches of rain in an hour. Reportedly, it is also a safer surface to play on, particularly in avoiding serious injuries. Both Searle and Gandubert said studies have shown there are less ACL injuries, concussions and injuries to joints on FieldTurf fields than on natural grass surfaces. Studies suggest less injuries There have been more minor injuries (muscle pulls, etc.), Gandubert allowed, but he said it is believed that increase is due to the higher pace of play that the field allows. The Oakville Blue Stars under-16 boys' soccer team, national champions in 2004, were initially scheduled to be the first club to play on the field. However, the Blue Stars -- perhaps ironically, ravaged by injuries in recent action -- were unable to field a team Saturday, leaving the girls' under-15 Oakville Cobras and Oakville Redgales with the opportunity to christen the facility. A large crowd was on hand for the opening ceremonies, which featured Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer. The Premiership's all-time leading scorer held a lengthy autograph-signing session before departing for Toronto, where he attended a benefit gala Saturday night in support of Cystic Fibrosis. Buzz heads to Georgetown trailing Jr. B lacrosse playoff series The Oakville Buzz will look to regroup from a disappointing Game 1 showing when it visits the Halton Hills Bulldogs tonight for the second game of the teams' Ontario Lacrosse Association Junior B first-round playoff series. The Buzz dropped the opener Friday at Glen Abbey Recreation Centre, surrendering the final six goals of the game in a 9-3 loss. Halton Hills' Brandon Goodfellow scored with 5:55 remaining in the second period to give the Bulldogs a 4-3 lead, and Halton Hills outscored Oakville 5-0 in the final period. Kevin Harper, Braden Gallant and Ethan O'Connor scored the Buzz goals, as the Bulldogs held Oakville's top snipers off the scoresheet. O'Connor added an assist for a two-point night, while Harry Hristopoulos (one assist) was the only other Buzz player to record a point. Mike Brown paced Halton Hills with a two-goal effort, while Nic Grasby had a goal and three assists. Kyle Davis, Mike Burke, Greg Henry, Kyle Andrews and Evan Whillans had the other Bulldogs markers. After tonight's Game 2 (an 8 p.m. start at Georgetown's Gordon Alcott Memorial Arena), the series will return back to Oakville Friday for Game 3 (also an 8 p.m start). Game 4, if necessary, would be contested Sunday in Georgetown. If a fifth and deciding game was needed, Oakville would host the contest, with the date and time yet to be determined. Oakville -- Founders Cup national champions in 2006 -- finished second in the Southeast Division this season with a 14-4-2 mark, while the Bulldogs were a close third (14-6).