The Montgomery Department of Parks announced Tuesday it will delay the opening of its park fields as well as elementary and middle school fields.
The fields were originally scheduled to open to the public and students March 15, but due to conditions created by this year’s winter weather, the fields will not open until at least April 1.
The delay is designed to keep the playing surfaces of the fields in good condition.
“The unusually cold temperatures coupled with snow, sleet and ice have had a significant impact on our athletic fields,” said Mike Riley, director of the Montgomery Department of Parks. “Even when snow and ice melt from the fields, the ground will remain frozen trapping moisture on the surface. Play when the surface is saturated can cause damage to the turf that will last the entire season.”
The parks department will begin to assess the fields starting April 1 to determine when they are playable.
As for high schools, the decision about whether to use their fields will be up to the individual schools because they offer significantly more sports than are played on the fields than middle and elementary schools, according to the parks department.
Synthetic turf fields are not affected by the delay.
