By David Wiwchar

$1,000,000 to replace adss turf

School District seeks funding for field

Mar 12, 2026 | 9:16 AM

School District officials faced tough questions from Regional District Directors over the ADSS Turf Field Replacement project.

The School District is looking for help funding the $1 million repair that they expect will be required in a year according to Trustee Chris Washington.

“The ADSS artificial turf was installed in 2012 with the new high school, and like most artificial playing services these fields do have a finite lifespan of roughly 10 to 15 years and the surface is now beyond that expected service life,” she said. “The field has long provided a shared benefit to the community, and now it requires shared leadership and a shared solution.”

Ineligible for provincial funding, School District officials are looking for local governments and user groups to help fund the million dollar replacement according to SD70 Assistant Superintendant James Messenger.

“Although the field is located at ADSS, it functions as much more than a school facility as the facility serves the entire region, not only the residents of the City of Port Alberni or the ADSS students,” he said. “Because the benefit is shared, we believe the solution should also be shared and that’s why we’re asking you to consider our partnership opportunity.”

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He said the turf field is regularly used by 1300 ADSS students, 600 youth soccer players, and 100 field hockey athletes who would not have the opportunity to play in Port Alberni if it wasn’t for the turf field.

While the field has been deemed safe for now, Messenger expects the next review in November will force the district to close access to all but ADSS students.

ACRD directors questioned the lack of asset planning, which the school district admitted “could have been better”.

Washington said the School District would put up $400,000 if they received $200,000 each from the city, regional district and user groups, with some of those monies going into a future replacement fund.

ACRD Chair John Jack said any financial assistance would have to wait for at least a year as their 2026 budget is set.