Over the past couple of years we have received numerous calls from facility/recreation/athletic managers trying to increase the value of their indoor recreation/sports facilities. One method is to put field marking lines on synthetic turf fields that are temporary and removable after extended use.

This type of facility is becoming a trend across the USA especially for communities in the cooler winter regions where activities move indoors. One company that has been expanding its presence is the Total Fitness Connection Three Springs operations which includes collaboration with sports academies such as the Doyle Academy for Baseball and Softball. Todd Stinson, Athletics Supervisor, now has 19,000 square feet of synthetic turf playing surface so he can accommodate a multitude of different activities from after school programs, skill development training to league play.

Todd did an extensive search for the surface to meet the multiple requirements he faced. He settled on a 32 ounce pile surface that doesn't use any infield material yet includes an one inch pad to improve the impact absorption. For an indoor facility and the participants he decided against an infield solution, primarily due the tracking problem from static electricity causing the collection of crumb rubber and/or sand on participants. He decided against sewn in lines so he'll use a temporary/removable field marking paint solution so that increases the flexibility of the activities supported throughout the year.

The Three Springs facility will use the Tru Mark TrailBlazer Season Ticket removable field marking paint for synthetic turf application. Todd decided that he wanted lining solution that would cover a season long use yet could be removed without the ghosting effect. His plan is to tape or pull a string and then cover the turf using a traditional 1/4" thick nap paint roller. This will provide even coverage without adding a significant amount of material to the turf. He was not worried about using manual labor to complete the project versus using an airless paint striper such as the Titan Speeflow Powrliner 850.

The Bowling Green, KY is centrally located where there trade area is similar to Norfolk, NE. Many people travel many miles to get access to indoor facilities. For example many families will commute up to 2 hours to Omaha and Lincoln to participate in sport camps and leagues, many of them conducted indoors. With the increasing transportation cost and our busy schedules more communities will be making the investment to host activities in multipurpose facilities.

For example, an existing structure such as the Norfolk City Auditorium which is experiencing the transfer of city staff offices to another facility could be a future site. The basketball floor which has been home to community college basketball games up through the 80s and a local high school into the early 2000s, and now support city and YMCA recreation programs. The City has put in a new guaranteed roof and boiler in the last 8 years to extend the use of the facility for many years into the future. This could be an excellent public/private venture opportunity for the community, similar to the Barnstomers of Nebraska Airport Restaurant and Lounge hosted in the former Karl Stefan Memorial Airport passenger terminal which will be an attraction as part of the Nebraska Airfest 2012 event being held in conjunction with the Great American Comedy Festival, June 13-17, 2012.

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