Though soccer season is approaching, the fields at Foskett Regional Park are missing one key ingredient - players.

The condition of the soccer fields at is an embarrassment, according to Chris von Pohle, president of the Lincoln Youth Soccer Association.

“I’m trying to put together tournaments and jamborees, and Foskett would be the best place for them, but I have to go to Joiner (Park),” von Pohle said.

The problem with Foskett is that much of the grass in the $11 million park is dead.

“It’s dry and brown,” von Pohle said. “The grass on the fields is the same color as the dead grass on the hill you can see across Highway 65.”

The problem has been ongoing since October, when the fields had circles of swampy grass interspersed with the dry, dead grass.

In a letter to the editor published in the News Messenger Sept. 25, Lincoln resident Cindy Prentice wrote that her family had to walk through “over-saturated grass to get to bone-dry dead grass” for her daughter to practice soccer on.

After complaints from several residents at the time, the fields were overseeded with new grass, and the city was working with Roebbelen Contracting to remedy the problems – which consisted of broken irrigation lines, sunken sprinkler heads and drainage.

For six-year-old Charlie Purcell of Wheatland, who will be playing soccer on the fields soon, the fields are less than ideal.

“It’s not good grass for soccer because it’s dying and there won’t be any more grass,” Charlie said.

Despite the frustration, Lincoln resident Susan Huntzinger – who visits the park on a weekly basis – said the park looks better than it did before.

“There are no more mud puddles,” Huntzinger said. “I’m sure it would be wonderful to have it lush and green, but I’m not sure the heat will allow that.”

Now, many of the same problems from 10 months ago persist, according to city of Lincoln Senior Civil Engineer Ray Leftwich, and the heat does contribute to them.

“We’re still working with the contractor to correct some of the drainage issues,” Leftwich said Friday. “We’re still addressing some problems … sprinkler heads have sunk down a little it and haven’t been raise up yet. We’re still working toward that goal.”

The construction of the park has not yet been signed off on by the city, Leftwich said, meaning the contract is still open.

Leftwich would not disclose details of communications between the city and Roebbelen Contracting, saying only that there has been ongoing communication, and couldn’t comment on whether that communication was productive.

“There have been ongoing problems with the completion of the park,” said Mayor Spencer Short. “We’re looking at all avenues of correcting the problem. Right now that comes down to city staff and the contractor working through the problem – primarily that the fields are not taking.”

According to Short, the city will not settle for an incomplete park.

“We will use all remedies available to solve this problem,” Short said.

According to Scott Boynton, maintenance supervisor with the Parks Department for the city of Lincoln, not all of the sprinkler heads that had sunk in October have been replaced.

“Maybe some of them have, but not all of them,” Boynton said. “The contractor was out about three weeks ago addressing some of the soil issues.”

Those soil issues include a variety of soil densities, which means that water penetrates at different rates, making watering the 45-acre site a challenge, according to Boynton.

Parks Department staff has replaced some of the sprinklers with a different make, which raises an extra inch above the ground. Boynton said Friday that it will probably be two weeks before staff will be able to determine if that is a remedy to the problem.

Other steps taken by city staff involve applying gypsum to break the soil down, making it easier for the water to penetrate the hard earth.

“You can water for 15 to 20 minutes, and you only get a half-inch of penetration,” Boynton said.

According to Public Works Director Terry Rodrigue, the city of Lincoln will not sign off on the park and make the final payments until everything is fixed to the city’s satisfaction.

“We are working very diligently on trying to get it resolved,” Boynton said, adding that cuts to Parks Department staff in February mean his crews are stretched thin.

“I live right next door, and it bugs me every single day,” Boynton said. “I drive by it every day, and my guys are out there. It’s very frustrating.”

Representatives for Roebbelen Contracting were not available for comment at press time.

Brandon Darnell can be reached by e-mail at brandond@goldcountrymedia.com.