About this Project
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Owner
Trinity Episcopal School
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Location
1315 Jackson Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130
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Designer
Schrenk Endom & Flanagan LLC
Trinity Sports Field
As part of the overall Campus Master Plan and construction of the new athletic turf field, Trinity sought to mitigate stormwater runoff and improve drainage at its Jackson Ave campus. Ryan Gootee General Contractors installed an underground system to collect and hold water temporarily underneath the field rather than allowing it to flow rapidly into the public utility system. A high-performance athletic surface was laid over the field to create an outdoor space for students to enjoy. Both the under- and above-ground features of this project will work together to serve Trinity and the surrounding community for decades to come.
The Challenge
Incorporating Stormwater Management to Improve Student Experience
In 2019, Trinity Episcopal Church and School Leadership completed strategic plans for the future that resulted in the creation of a 20+year, multi-phase Campus Master Plan. The first phase of those plans was completed by Ryan Gootee General Contractors at the end of 2021, resulting in a new 60-yard-wide x 30-yard-wide soccer, lacrosse and all-purpose synthetic turf field that was constructed over the previous athletic field. The artificial turf allows the field to be used during rainy weather, minimizing downtime and accommodating additional practice and recreational time for students. Underneath the new athletic turf field, a stormwater management system was installed to help the City’s current drainage systems with water retention and flooding issues.
Stormwater Management System Installation
New Orleans is the third rainiest city in the country with an average of 62 inches of rain each year. Due to the fact that 95% of Orleans Parish is at or below sea level, New Orleans is the only city in the United States that relies solely on pumping stations for drainage. The neighborhood where Trinity is located regularly floods, making parking and even traversing the roadways difficult, and complete drainage can sometimes take several days. The new stormwater management system is designed to collect, retain, and filter the first one and one quarter inch (1.25”) of stormwater runoff from the Trinity property during each rain event. The collected stormwater is stored in underground tanks below the athletic turf field and then slowly discharged into the city drainage systems so as not to overwhelm the infrastructure, thereby reducing street flooding.
