Robinswood Park

A 2008 Washington Recreation and Parks Association Spotlight Sports Complex Award of Excellence Winner

After years of annual reconstruction of the natural turf surface, the Robinswood Park soccer fields were renovated to an infilled synthetic turf surface that would provide the wear resistance required by the site’s heavy use.

Every effort was made to complete the renovation without significantly changing the character of the existing park. This included incorporating a high-use synthetic surface into the more natural park surroundings. This resulted in a design that eliminated the typical chainlink fencing around the fields and controlled access with landscaping, seat walls, and berms. Low wood rail fencing was incorporated into the perimeter landscaping to prevent unauthorized vehicular traffic onto field surfaces.

The park site is located upstream of an environmentally sensitive drainage basin. Special engineered soil comprised of sand and organic materials excavated and re-processed from the natural turf fields were used in all the perimeter landscape and planting areas to minimize fertilizer leachate into the storm drainage system.