Has anyone had any luck using soccer fields for buggying? I have some near by that are managed by the city parks that I think I will be able to use. Also, there are some soccer fields managed by private clubs. I thought about contacting them first, or should I just try it and see?

I would guess on the city park- play til you get told to leave (of course dont fly if people are there playing soccer) as for private- i personally would get permission first and have had luck at two spots that the folks were more than happy to let me use as long as i did not tear up the fields
Scott

We fly all the time at the city parks. Just avoid Saturdays. Private I doubt they would let you.

Local soccer fields are posted, no kite flying.. Might be because of the high tension lines or maybe the Airport runway.. Probably just someone not understanding the sport.. If you think I'm joking ask 3shot. He saw the fields AND the sign..

All parks in Calgary are "no kite flying" except specifically designated. There are no signs but I looked it up. I have no idea why, liability about lines? It applies to single liners too!

I fly city parks all the time though, screw 'em. All I ever get is comments about how cool my kites are or the old "kite flying, haven't done that in ages!" While static flying.

Private land is private land though, you are trespassing unless you have permission. I farm and hate it when people are on my land without permission, it's not hard to ask, just common courtesy.

I fly on a ton of soccer fields....they are pretty nice (groomed)...You will sharpen your buggy/kite skills having to turn all the time but they are a lot of fun and fast.....Just don't go out on them when they are soft (after rains, spring time, etc) ..your buggy will leave tire marks all over it and once the park/club sees that... I'm sure you will be booted....

Private land....I have a ton of fields that I fly in...You can go about it two ways or both I guess....You can have a letter stating that you will not sue them if anything happens to you and/or go meet the property owners and ask....I have a couple farmers that I help with fences and trail clearings and after I did that....no problem....they were more then happy to have me...FYI...once you get permission don't ruin it by having a bunch of friends there...I'd wait a bit till you and the property owner have built up a relationship first...once they see you in control and safe...they most likely won't have any issues...

Have fun and wear a helmet....Happy New Year too!

Thanks for the input. That's pretty much what I was thinking as far as asking permission on the club fields. City parks; I think as long as I am mindful of others I will be able to fly there. Also, I have one private field that I have permission to use so hopefully that will work out. As far as farmers private property, I wouldn't even think of using that without asking. We just got a foot of snow so I won't have to worry about it for awhile. If the snow melts during the winter, I was planning on using whatever field I find when the ground was frozen and avoid using them when it is above freezing and soggy.

Bruce has got some BBBBIIIIIIIGGGGGG fields to ride in:o:o

At dead mans curve it was probably a mile long field:D

I forgot to ask, but there are a lot of schools in the area with large grass fields. Has anyone had tried those? Obviously not when school is open. I was thinking Sundays and / or summer days when there are no activities.

Quote: Originally posted by ssayre

I forgot to ask, but there are a lot of schools in the area with large grass fields. Has anyone had tried those? Obviously not when school is open. I was thinking Sundays and / or summer days when there are no activities.

I roll all the time at my local school. Of course, I always avoid flying when there are any activities. Been no issues for almost 3 years now. I live in the backwoods though. Pretty laid back community. I would imagine higher profile schools will always have a "hall monitor" running around though

Soccer fields!...oh, football. :D

My local grass site is made up of 16 soccer fields. Summer marks the end of football season when they finally take down all those goal posts. Then it's buggy heaven or at least it would be if the wind wasn't so unreliable. This is where I started on three wheels all those years ago. Many fond memories and friends long since moved on. I'm still here, although technically we are banned and I have been asked to leave on a couple of occasions.

As for the footballers, they completely trash the place leaving glass bottles, rubbish etc and nobody does anything about it because the football clubs pay the local council, and we don't.

If you decide to go ahead and use soccer fields then you must be made aware of a phenomenon I like to call 'OH FOR F*'#'#SAKE! This where the kite without exception will always stall directly over a goal post. I've never figured it out.
This is not to be confused with 'OH FOR F*#'#SAKE!' where a dog pee's on your bag or rips it's teeth into your kite.

And just another tip. Almost always someone jogging, or kids running around. I use the little orange safety cones that you get at any sports store as a parking spot for my kite and lines. It helps the grounds keepers from driving over your lines too. (not that it has happened to me or anything.... )

I'm all about public parks. My 2 best spots are public parks. 1 has about 2-4 acres of jus plain "green space" that is a great spot for everything but easterly winds. The other is the big field they use at the fairgrounds for parking. I can use that field with wind from any direction, but the grass doesn't get cut as often, which can make buggying difficult.

I would recommend looking to see if there are any fairgrounds nearby, or even abandoned airfields. There's an abandoned airfield about an hour southwest of me I've flown on and was great. The local community had turned it into a park with a walking track. The parks dept guys obviously cut the grass too, it was sweeeeet.

I hadn't even thought of of fairground parking lots. That's a great idea. One of the local parks I use is a decent size with 2 football fields and a disk golf course. The annoying thing is I could be the only one in the park (flying static) and an adult with small kids will choose to play a game of catch right next to me, which forces me to land, pack up, and move further down. I never suggest that they move even though I was there first because I don't want anyone complaining about kite flying in the park. Seriously, you would not believe how big this park is and how many times I've had to relocate because people move in too close. I do not plan on using the buggy there, so that's why I've been looking into other local spots.

People moving in on your space will happen all the time....you have the right attitude even though it is a pain in the a**. You mentioned about using the fields in the spring and summer at schools....Good Luck with that....take advantage of them now...(late fall...winter and early spring)....then the kids will be on them for the rest of the time (soccer, baseball, golf, lacrosse, football)... You might be able to find a great spot for static flying only....Look for some industrial business sections in the area they sometimes have huge pieces of undeveloped property...

other places....small beaches, sod farms, a section of a golf course (has to be tree free)...

Quote: Originally posted by flyguy0101

Bruce has got some BBBBIIIIIIIGGGGGG fields to ride in:o:o At dead mans curve it was probably a mile long field:D

This is about a 1/4 of the field...You can see Scott's (flyguy0101) kite off the corner of barn roof...he can tell you the size of kite to put it in more perspective.

Here is the other part of the field.....that's about 1/2 of it...

Bruce- I was flying my 13m that day- yeah its a big field and didnt really notice too much of the sheep ship, but they do keep the grass nice and short

Not sure if this applies to America, but I fly down by my local race track

Huge open fields, long stretches of straight tar(asphalt)
It's also HUUUGGEE so there's very little wind obstruction

Only thing is the "security guards" (they don't even know who they work for nor do they have any identification and we got permission to come in, bare in mind my fathers a lawyer and defends the security industry so when people like these "guards" come along, it makes him crazy!)

Those "security guards" kicked us off today

To put it in Arnold's terms, "I'll be back"

:D