Valley Road Playfield Improvement
Valley Road Playfield is the second most utilized recreation facility on the Pullman campus at Washington State University. The field hosts well over 25,000 scheduled users and numerous informal recreational users annually despite being closed for over five months of the year due to poor field conditions and maintenance.
The current field faces the following challenges that restrict the field from being a fully functional university asset:
Poor Drainage - The field faces drainage deficiencies that often result in standing water on the surface for long periods of time.
Surface Condition - Heavy use, coupled with often wet conditions, results in frequent and often severe damage to the natural grass playing surface.
Grade - The field suffers from severe variances from one end to the other, which often restricts activity offerings and locations.
Safety - Frequent wet field conditions, limited security, and surface damages increase the likelihood of injury to users.
Sustainability - The field requirements for fertilizing and irrigation (nearly 13,000,000 gallons of water annually) inhibit sustainable practices that are becoming standards in the industry and at WSU.
Improvements of the Valley Road Playfield would offer some relief to demand and provide a better recreational environment for campus users. Additionally, an artificial surface would allow for year-round play, reduce maintenance costs, increase sustainable practices, and allow for a safer environment.
The Valley Road playfield continues to be a highly demanded and utilized facility for Washington State University. University Recreation hopes that addressing the current facility deficiencies will allow for the development of a world-class amenity that will serve the campus for years to come.