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This summer’s largest project in Ada is strictly at ground level.

An artificial turf installation is underway at the Ada War Memorial Field. According to Bob Szuch, chair of the Liberty Township Park District board, the project cost is $800,000.

The primary user of the field is Ada school athletic teams. Discussion of the artificial turf between the school and park board goes back to January.

While it is a park board project, Ada schools are involved as they lease the facility, said Kenny Wolke, park manager. “It’s a 50-50 shared project between the park board and the school,” he said.

Meri Skilliter, Ada school superintendent, said that the school renewed its lease of the field this spring.

Maumee Bay Turf Center of Oregon, Ohio, is the project contractor.

“They are ahead of schedule,” said Wolke. “Yesterday they placed 4,000 ton of stone on the field and rolled it.”

He added that the stone will be graded and then the new turf will be installed. “The turf might be installed sometime within the next two weeks.”

A projected completion date is Aug. 1.

Wolke said that the field will be used for football, including junior high, junior varsity and varsity football.

It will also be used for boys’ and girls’ soccer, which will enable games to be played at night under the lights. He said that the Ada midget football team will also use the field.

This is the second artificial turf installation in Ada. In 2013 Ohio Northern installed artifical turf at its stadium. Click here for that story.

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