Grove Street Soccer Fields To Be Resod In July, August

The soccer fields on the lower level of the Grove Street Playground will be closed beginning the week of July 8 as the Belmont Soccer Association invests $120,000 to resod the entire field and install a new irrigation system, said a spokesperson. A temporary fence will be put up around the field to it allow the sod to settle. 

The field is expected to reopen by the end of August.

While not the ideal time to grow grass, the only time during the year that field maintenance can be performed is during July and August, according to Jim Fitzgerald of the Belmont Soccer Association. 

With as many as 800 players in the BSA’s program and due to the lack of playing fields in Belmont, the avaliable playgrounds must be continually maintained. 

And while ideally grass seed should be used, due to the short growing season, the fields would need to be closed for two full seasons and the sports programs do not have that luxury. 

As a result, special equipment will apply four-foot wide rolls of sod while the fields will also be sliced seeded and fertilized during this time, done with the approval and in collaboration of the Belmont Recreation Department and the town's Department of Public Works.

The JV Field at Belmont High School and Pequossett Playground will also closed to formal games and the BSA asks residents not to walk on the new loam and seed or allow their pooches to dig up these areas during this time.

As with many of the private sports programs in town, the youth lacrosse program shares in the maintenance cost for the JV Field.