CLEVELAND – Project EverGreen organized its first “Healthy Turf. Healthy Kids.” initiative in Cleveland with hopes of the idea going national. The project calls for local lawn care and landscaping companies to donate time and materials to revitalize local sports fields to promote youth activity. The initial project was done at a soccer field at Michael J. Zone Recreation Center on Cleveland’s west side and involved four local companies aerating, fertilizing and overseeding the field.
Cindy Code, Project EverGreen executive director, said this is the first of what she hopes will be many similar projects completed nationwide. Code said the group will use this as the template and investigate what local chapters can do in other states. She added that 30 local kids helped clear rocks from the field and were rewarded with free ice cream. The field will be ready to go in the spring.
“We want to assure the people that use this field can appreciate and sustain the field moving forward,” she said.
Added Parks and Recreation Commissioner, Richard L. Silva, “It’s going to be a much softer and attractive field to play on.”
Project EverGreen worked in collaboration with the Sports Turf Managers Association and the Turfgrass Water Conservation Alliance.
Morton’s Landscape Development Co., Schill Grounds Management, Weed Man Cleveland and Weed Pro were the four local companies who helped renovate the field.
Lawn & Landscape Publisher and Project EverGreen board member, Pat Jones, reiterated the importance of the project as a way to keep children active and outside.
"Kids should play on grass," he said.