Work will begin Jan. 4 to replace sod on the Roger McGuire Green and Reuter Terrace in Pack Square Park.
The sod that was replaced in spring 2016 deteriorated under heavy use for what is sometimes considered “Asheville’s front lawn.” Last year there were 68 permitted outdoor events in this area. With some of them being multiday festivals there were 78 days of reserved use, drawing an estimated attendance of 180,000. Those many footfalls took their toll on the sod.
“The goal is to replace the sod earlier in the year to allow it to better get established with the hope that it holds up better in the coming year,” said City Park Development & Planning Manager John Gavin. “In an ongoing effort to keep the Roger McGuire Green…well, GREEN, the City of Asheville is going to resod these popular spots in Pack Square Park the first week of January.”
The project cost is $16,000 and that includes installing sod as well as aerating and seeding in another location shown on the map. The work will take 2-3 days to complete and the City will fence of the areas of new sod immediately after completion. The fence will stay up until spring.
“This project is weather and temperature dependent so the actual start date will need to be flexible,” said Gavin. “Installing the sod this winter will allow for the maximum amount of time for the sod to properly root and establish itself before the busy spring season begins.”
Wilde Acre Landscaping Inc. is the contractor hired for the sodding project.
If all goes well, the sod should be in place by Friday, Jan. 6.
