USOPC Celebrates Paralympic Athletes with a family picnic.
Rigger forgets rope on canopy top.
The Groundskeepers at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs are proud of their turf. They should be. They’ve cultivated a perfect lawn without a weed in sight. That’s not an easy feat in Colorado.
So, when the USOPC committee wanted to stage a picnic for families of Paralympic athletes smack in the middle of the greenest lawn on campus, they got a little pushback from the Operations Crew.
We drive 3′ stakes to pitch this particular 50’x70′ stretch tent. We’ve never damaged a lawn. Indeed, we leave lawns healthier by target aerating to 3′ deep. However, that’s a hard battle to win with a crew that has crafted the perfect lawn.
BTW – Did you spot the bundled rope left on the canopy top? We did too. Eventually.
Eventually the USOPC Grounds Militia conceded to a placement of 4 stakes for a stretch tent rental pitch that usually requires 24. Ballast is unsightly, so we found a creative alternative. We cut a slight expansion into the concrete curb expansion joints, and dropped in a few climbing stoppers.
The site worked out to be a perfect placement with stakeless anchors on 3 sides and all were happy – especially the Ops Guys when we left their lawn completely unscathed.
