A growing number of people involved in recreation activities matched with an increased expectation for field quality is putting stress on many of Port Coquitlam's outdoor sports facilities.
That is one of the conclusions in PoCo's 2010 Sports Field Strategy, a report expected to be endorsed by the city's healthy community committee this week.
One of the recommendations includes building two new synthetic turf fields with lighting, which staff said could alleviate the pressure on service levels. The report also looks at removing low-use fields from the inventory in order to allow staff to focus more of its resources on maintaining high-demand sites.
Overuse is also an issue, according to Ron Myers, the city's manager of parks planning and design, because it can ruin the quality of the available fields.
"Maintenance levels and funding of the existing facilities are typical for the Lower Mainland but chronic overuse often eliminates facilities from the inventory, particularly during the winter months," he wrote in a report. "Additional maintenance and capital expenditures on facilities that have a greater potential to meet user group needs and expectations will help alleviate the wear and tear from heavy use."
The Field Sport Strategy report notes that while Port Coquitlam's population remains relatively static, the city boasts a large population of young and active people.
Of PoCo's estimated 60,000 residents, more than 70% of the population is under the age of 44 and only 6.4% is over the age of 65. Compared to neighbouring municipalities, PoCo has a significantly higher number of people under the age of 19, the report added.
Lifestyle changes are also accounting for the increased use. A growing number of residents, particularly woman, are participating in organized field sports and older adults are continuing to play well into their 30s, 40s and 50s.
