Several of the Village of Marshall’s key recreational/athletic fields are beginning to look healthier as the season for spring and summer sports approaches.
The village’s Parks and Recreation Department has been hard at work to revitalize roughly 15 acres of green space after the turf became significantly tarnished in October 2023.
According to Parks and Recreation Director Brandon Millner, the village is not certain as to the specific cause of the turf deterioration. However, staff observed damage across the area a week after a routine herbicide treatment was conducted by the village’s contracted turf specialist, Insight FS.
Once village staff and Insight noticed a pattern of deterioration between recently treated fields, they pulled the product being used and began to investigate.
Millner stated that there have been good faith discussions between the village and Insight about reimbursing some costs related to revitalizing the fields. He is keeping track of labor and expenses related to the project for when the time comes to have that discussion.
Residents have most likely already made note of some of the affected areas. The green spaces, soccer, baseball and softball fields in need of rehabilitation are located at Riverview, Fireman’s and Converse Parks.
In late October, the village decided to plant dormant grass seed in the affected areas to get ahead of regrowing the fields for future use. Staff consulted with Insight to find a seed mix that was resistant to frequent use and droughts and was provided to mix at no cost.
Since then, staff have been keeping a close eye on the progress.
The city of Madison has loaned the village two water wheels to supplement one already in use. The plan is to deploy one at Fireman’s Park, another to Converse and the third will split time between several spaces. While none of the three wheels have been used yet, Millner said he expects them to be brought out at some point.
This will enable parks and recreation staff to water the fields as much as needed to expedite turf rehabilitation.
According to Millner, Insight is also planning to fertilizing the damaged turf areas once the soil temperature reaches 50° and will continues to do so every 2-3 weeks after that point without charge to the village.
Getting certain fields back up to a usable condition is not only a priority for the community, but also for the village’s finances.
During the spring/summer time, Marshall hosts an array of youth soccer and softball tournaments. Some range on the smaller side, drawing six to ten teams from the surrounding area. Other events can draw upwards of 20 teams from farther distances, some even from out of state.
“These are really Parks and Rec’s number one revenue generator.” Millner said, “The field rentals and concessions are what bring the revenue in for us.”
He also stated the positive impact for Marshall’s private businesses that these events have. Oftentimes, teams from out of town will stop at local restaurants and stores for meals and supplies throughout the day.
Millner gave an update on the situation to the village board on Tuesday, March 12. At the time, he expressed uncertainty regarding the prospect of hosting the regular schedule of tournaments in 2024. Millner also noted that cancelling any events could lead to organizers finding new venues for future years.
A few weeks later, conditions are now heading in the right direction.
With the progress he has noticed, Millner says that he expects the fields at Converse Park to be playable by the village’s first tournament the weekend of May 18. Meanwhile the baseball fields at Fireman’s Park are in rougher shape.
Until then, the village is playing the waiting game and has halted all organized activities on the fields so that the turf’s growth is not stifled. Residents are also encouraged to stay off the affected areas for the same reason.
The hope is that scheduled programming, like Hometown Talent and youth baseball, can resume at their usual locations in late June or early July.
Though, Millner noted that the rate of improvement is somewhat out of his hands.
“It’s all going to depend on what Mother nature does. But I think for drought conditions we’ve got the right tools to water the fields when necessary. Eventually it will stop snowing and start warming up, so I think we’re in pretty good shape,” Millner said.
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