Twins’ Target Field getting a good hot shower after winter blast
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It's now less than two weeks until the opening pitch of the Twins 2013 season at Target Field, and the place is still digging out from 3.1 inches of snow that fell in Minneapolis on Monday.
Twins spokesman Kevin Smith says they'll have the stadium ready to go, despite the blizzard -- thanks in part to the trash-burning Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (aka HERC) next door, which provides heat to Target Field.
"The field itself looks pretty good," Smith said. "The grounds crew put the blankets back on Sunday to protect the grass from the cold. The heating system seems to be working. The ground temperature on the field is over 60 degrees, so that's fine. Our operations crews are using hot water, high velocity spray to melt the snow and ice in the walkways and the aisleways of the seating bowl. And that work will continue until its all gone."
Update: Here's a picture that Pioneer Press photographer Ben Garvin just put up on Twitter:
Smith alluded to the March 31 blizzard that blanketed parts of the Twin Cities with 9 inches of snow five years ago, but doesn't think we're in for a repeat -- although he admits he's watching the forecast carefully for snow.
"A late March blizzard... doesn't look like its on the horizon," Smith said. "Our guys are working 12 hour days to get things cleared off, and April 1st, we'll be ready."
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