Crozet Park Soccer Field to Close (for the Summer)

But just for a few months. In a sign of the severe lack of soccer (and other, but my passion is soccer) fields in the whole of Charlottesville/Albemarle, Crozet Park’s field is decimated annually by its overuse. For instance, last year when coaching, we had four teams practicing together – each with a quarter of the field – until Daylight Savings kicked in.

Tim Hughes with the County of Albemarle’s Parks and Rec division says:

Crozet Park is one of our “High Maintenance Level” multi use fields. It is a Bermuda grass field, which is a warm season grass. We generally close those type of fields ( Crozet Park, Henley, AHS, WAHS, etc.) around the first of June. We will then top dress and over seed those fields with Bermuda seed which will not geminate in the fall.

We chose this time of year for two reasons. First the type of grass which I mentioned above and second because the largest user group SOCA does not have league play scheduled during this time period. This allows us to re establish the turf during the hot summer months when Bermuda grass thrives and provides us with a better playing surface for the fall season.

If I can be of further assistance please let me know.

Mr. Hughes expects the field to re-open in August, but we really need two things (at least) –

1 – More fields in Crozet
2 – For Crozet Park field to be closed for long enough for the grass to really take root and establish itself. Traditionally, the field is already worn by the first couple months of the fall season. A few months isn’t sufficient. (and I say this from having played adult league soccer on every field in the County)

Update:

Will Yancey provides pictures of the potential fields.




Yancey Mills in Crozet

Originally uploaded by jimduncancville


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2 Replies to “Crozet Park Soccer Field to Close (for the Summer)”

  1. One of the main components of the proposed business park behind the Yancey Lumber Company is a 24-acre portion of land adjacent to Stockton Creek to be set aside for fields, or, in County parlance, “parks and greenways.” According to senior staff in Albemarle County’s Department of Parks & Recreation with whom I toured the property, it would be possible to fit 5 to 7 fields in this space.

    Although the initial impetus for the business park was to help alleviate the County’s acknowledged shortage of light industrial zoning in an area with

    1. Access to County water & sewer;
    2. Proximity to an arterial road and Interstate highway; and,
    3. Adjacency to pre-existing industrial property

    we quickly realized during the McIntire Park/YMCA kerfuffle that the land could also play a role in helping the Charlottesville/Albemarle area with its shortage of fields.

    The project is currently being evaluated in conjunction with the 5-year revision of the Crozet Master Plan.

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