The new outdoor turf field at Blackburn Park is finally ready to get underway with Salmon Arm council approving a $1 million contract for Lessard Excavating to complete the project. At the May 12 Salmon Arm city council meeting, Darin Gerow, manager of roads and parks, presented a report which recommended awarding a $1 million contract for the construction and installation of a synthetic sports field. “I’m very excited today to be presenting this report,” Gerow said. “Council approved the initial budget in 2024, which was then carried forward into 2025 to fund the construction and installation of a synthetic sports field at Blackburn Park.” He said the city’s initial attempt to tender the project in phases was unsuccessful due to the high cost of the first phase, and instead the decision was made to issue a tender for the entire project. The city received four bids, and staff recommended council move forward with Lessard Excavating’s bid of $817,990.78. The remaining money from the $1 million budget will be used for contingencies. “Some elements were designated as optional to allow the premium probable costs to remain within the budget,” Gerow said. He noted any surplus money left in the contract after the main work is completed will be used on the optional works. These include different fencing heights, electrical conduits for the future addition of lighting, lighting bases and the lighting itself. Salmon Arm Youth Soccer Association has also agreed to raise $300,000 to help fund lighting installation once the contract has been awarded. Coun. Sylvia Lindgren noted she has been opposed to the project in the past. “As council probably remembers, I'm not a gigantic fan of this project,” she explained. “I have environmental impact concerns about an artificial turf outside. Concerns have been brought to me about the kind of extreme heat that we have now melting or making the material really soft and sticking to people's cleats.” She said she's still not convinced the project should be high priority. "However, I recognize that I'm in the minority with those opinions, and I'm happy to support the award," she said. Mayor Alan Harrison thanked staff and the Salmon Arm Youth Soccer Association for their partnership on the project. “It seems to me that recreational facilities, inside and out, no one taxpaying group can go it alone anymore, you have to have partnerships," Harrison said. “I think future projects will also require partnerships, whether it's other levels of government, private-public partnerships or partnerships with nonprofits like Salmon Arm Youth Soccer. Really appreciate their commitment. ...And it's great to see it moving forward.” Council voted unanimously to award the contract to Lessard Excavating. Work on the project is expected to begin this month, with an estimated completion of September 2025.