Covenant News

Church Camp Installs Artificial Turf

BLUE JAY, CA (August 19, 2005) - After battling seven years of drought to keep its athletic field thriving, Alpine Camp and Conference Center decided try a new approach - installing artificial turf.

Alpine Camp and Conference Center may be the first church camp in the country to install artificial turf for athletic use, says John Gehring, interim executive director. "I don't know of any others," he says.

"The groups are loving it and its being used all the time, not just for games but small group meetings, cabin devotions and just relaxing," Gehring says. The turf was first used five weeks ago.

Weather conditions made the installation necessary. "The drought has been so severe for the last seven years that we had to let the lawn die," Gehring says. "This will keep us from having to water a lawn."

The turf - artificial grass - was the second best available, Gehring says.

"The best was field turf but was about $50,000 more than we could afford. We believe that this turf will hold up as well." The turf also will save the camp on maintenance costs.

Camp officials looked at installations in Southern California and Las Vegas before making the decision to purchase the turf.

The installation is part of the first phase of the camp's capital campaign. The phase included the remodeling of Hillside 8 dormitory, a street hockey rink, and Welcome Center.

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