‘Healthy Turf. Healthy Kids.’ fixes up public park athletic fields

Project EverGreen has completed its latest “Healthy Turf. Healthy Kids.” project with weed removal, soil aeration and fertilizer applications to the baseball and softball fields at Fair Oaks Park in Marietta, Ga.

Working in partnership with the Cobb County Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs department (PRCA), Project EverGreen and ValleyCrest Landscape Companies delivered much-needed turf management services to restore and renew 22,000 square feet of turf at the park’s ball diamonds.

The renovated baseball and softball fields are used by nearly 5,000 local Marietta residents and families of all ages that are participating in community church leagues, youth and adult teams, family reunions and other community groups.

The renovation project consisted of a series of sequential services and material applications from mid-May to early June. ValleyCrest donated the organic materials, equipment and personnel to make the renovations.

“Our mission is to preserve and enhance green spaces where we live, work and play,” says Cindy Code, executive director of Project EverGreen. “Parks, sports fields and recreational play areas are vital to healthy, thriving communities. One of the ways we demonstrate our commitment is by mobilizing generous local landscaping contractor volunteers, like ValleyCrest Companies to donate their time and talents to make these landscaping projects possible.”

ValleyCrest Companies have a long-standing history of contributing its times and talents to revitalization projects with Project EverGreen including several in the Raleigh/Durham, NC area.

“An important part of our company’s mission is to be a viable part of the communities we serve, so it’s a natural partnership for us to contribute to enhancing and improving the safety and playability of the Fair Oaks Park baseball fields for neighboring Cobb County residents and kids,” says Vic Bernardini, vice president of ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance’s Smyrna, Ga., branch.

Project EverGreen’s “Healthy Turf. Healthy Kids.” is a nationwide initiative to renovate and revitalize parks and athletic fields to ensure children have access to safe green spaces on which to play and exercise. Yards, parks and athletic fields not only promote a healthier lifestyle but contribute to economic growth, community development and benefit the environment.

Renovation projects are scheduled to be held in numerous cities across the United States in 2015, including Cleveland; Chicago; Minneapolis; Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C.; Milwaukee; Dallas, San Antonio and Austin, Texas; Portland, Ore.; and Indianapolis.

Key contributors to the initiative include the Dominion Foundation, Performance Nutrition and the Sports Turf Managers Association.