The artificial-turf field at Oak Bay High School has reopened after being closed during the summer due to heat causing clumping of the plastic infill.
The turf was back in regular use on Sept. 19.
A manufacturer’s error regarding ultraviolet treatment of the infill led to the issue, the Greater Victoria School District said.
The clumps were being tracked away from the turf on people’s shoes.
A similar problem arose with the turf last September and led to concerns that some of the material was ending up in nearby Bowker Creek.
The district responded by locking the field gates closest to the creek to keep the material from being tracked there, and made plans to install mesh storm-water grates near the field’s bleachers to catch clumps.
An additional cleaning of the field was also started to augment the existing cleaning done every Friday.
The current turf field was installed in 2020 to replace the original turf, which was removed because it was shedding its plastic grass blades.
