Flooding can sideline even the most passionate athletes and fans. See how our heavy construction experts rescued flood-prone football fields to increase playability and benefit the community.
Penalty on the field
Schussler Park is a 21-acre recreation space with playgrounds, picnic areas, and a bustling sports complex. Frequent flooding was rendering the grassy terrain unusable, restricting teams from getting the necessary play time. The Village of Orland Park needed solutions to get athletes back in the game. Enter underground stormwater detention!
What lies beneath
V3 was hired as the general contractor to execute the work to needed resolve Schussler Park’s flooding problems and restore the fields back to their intended glory. A common problem in Orland Park was ultimately the culprit of soggy conditions: peat subsoil. Peat’s low density and poor aeration causes it to hold water at a high capacity, leading to flooding, erosion, and other stormwater management issues.
Stabilizing the area meant managing the stormwater to keep it away from poor soils. Underground detention was the solution, and our team completed installation of a StormTrap precast concrete detention system. This system provides 6.5 acre-feet of stormwater storage and consists of 589 precast pieces set with the help of a crane. Due to the soft underlying soil conditions, provisions were necessary to stabilize the area for heavy equipment access. This meant installing a concrete pad for the StormTrap system, and also installing multiple layers of stone with geofabric for structural support.
Other improvements to the park include a new scoreboard, Musco field lighting, press box and bleachers, along with storage and restroom building. Added benefits also include a new 70-space parking lot, a relocated sled hill, dredging of the existing pond for improved water quality and habitat along with expansion of its stormwater capacity.
Ready for kickoff
Now home to the Orland Park Pioneers football, flag, and cheer teams, these popular fields draw massive crowds of athletes and spectators from across the Chicagoland area. These fields were created to accommodate football, soccer, and lacrosse games and practices while keeping the stormwater off the field, or more specifically under it.
The newly constructed fields are vibrant and ready for play! Even rain on the grand opening day couldn’t put a damper on the event since the field was ready to accept nature’s water and keep everyone free of mud.
V3 provided a wide range of services for this project, including:
- General Contracting
- Self-Performed Earthwork & Grading
- Installation of StormTrap
- Construction Staking
- As-Built Surveying & Record Drawings
- Final Site Restoration
Now, the Village’s many youth athletic organizations and residents can enjoy the fields for drop-in play when not scheduled for use. Thanks to the success of this project, the park is set to receive additional amenities such as a new playground and half-court basketball in the future.
“This was a great project packed with a lot of interesting challenges and features. We put together an excellent team and plan, and the park looks so fantastic now. To know that we were a part of it is very rewarding.”
Dianna Johnson, Senior Project Manager
Work with V3’s heavy construction experts
Our professional approach to construction is evident in the way we can deal with field variables, identify options, and confidently implement construction strategies to optimize project outcomes. Connect with our team to learn more.