Edmonton sports fields to open Monday, 4 days earlier than teams feared

Sport teams will be able to use Edmonton's city-owned fields starting Monday, four days earlier than park managers predicted last week.

The city credits the recent warm spell with drying out the fields earlier than was expected.

Last week, the city announced all natural grass sports fields would bet off limits until May 12 due to slippery and unsafe conditions.

• Soccer parents asked to lobby politicians over delayed season start
• 'Big trouble' ahead as muddy fields bog down Edmonton sports clubs

That prompted an outraged Edmonton Minor Soccer Association to lobby city councillors to open fields sooner.

This week, city staff inspected the fields, determining that most are now dry enough to withstand use without damage.

The city warns some fields may still be too wet and asks teams to use discretion.

"If water pools or runs off the field surface, or if water pools around your foot when you step on the field, please don't use it," said Rodger Davidson, director of parks operations southwest, in a release Thursday.

Davidson advises teams to stay off ifin doubt about whether the field is usable,

"It's easier to prevent damage than to repair it, and damaged fields will require lengthy maintenance closures later on," he said.

Some maintenance, such as mowing, line painting and grooming of shale infields, is still to be done on some fields, the city said.

Edmonton's fields were originally slated to open at the end of April, with the soccer season set to kick off May 1.