Synthetic Field Projects

Synthetic Field Projects

Existing Conditions

• Existing conditions are bad and getting worse- with boys and girls playing soccer in fall, the grass does not have a chance to rest and repair itself
• The field includes many uneven clumps, divots and mud which makes it difficult to maintain a safe surface for our athletes
• There are high maintenance costs associated with trying to keep the field in a playable condition
• Pesticides have been used as crab grass has invaded the field surface
• Limited drainage and inlets create issues for players
• Field Hockey field is 30' shorter than PIAA regulations
• Field Hockey field slopes more than one foot from one end to the other
• Softball field does not have dugouts
• Softball field does not have a scoreboard
• Soccer practice fields are crowned in the center between two fields (instead of a crown in the center of each field)
• Stadium field is concave through the center

Board Meeting Presentation Documents

Facility Needs Presentation (from August 13, 2012 Caucus Meeting Presentation) - includes overview of facility projects from Summer of 2013 and identifies issues with our athletic fields.

Fall 2012 Game Fields - provides visual presentation of the impact of 63 games in the stadium and 31 games on the field hocky fields.

Bond Refinancing (from November 11, 2013 Caucus Meeting) - summary of our bond refinancing options to cover costs of facility projects

Grass Field Analysis (from May 12, 2014 Caucus Meeting) - this document provides the estimated costs to renovate the existing soccer fields and construct a new grass field hockey field.  It also provides additional items that would make our boys and girls fields comparable.  The costs of grass versus synthetic turf were compared.

Stadium Synthetic Turf Costs

Synthetic Turf Carpet System (96,900 Square Feet)

$484,576

Site Construction as per Scope                                                               

$532,833

Design and Permitting                                                           

$48,445

Performance and Payment Bond                                             

$12,250

TOTAL STADIUM FIELD PROJECT COST                                                                   

$1,078,170

Multi-purpose Field Costs

Synthetic Turf Carpet System (105,600 Square Feet)

$424,968.51

Site Construction as per Scope                                                          

$748,322.22

Design and Permitting                                                           

$63,360

Performance and Payment Bond                                           

$14,212.94

Multi-purpose Field Alternatives

Perimeter Conduit / Pull Boxes

Musco 50/30 Green Energy Lighting System

$305,488.99

Performance and Payment Bond

$3,511.01

TOTAL PROJECT COST FOR MULTI-PURPOSE FIELD                                                                  

$1,509,863.67

Field Projects Deductions

GroomRight Maintenance Machine

-$5,050

SweepRight Maintenance Machine

-$1,010

Site Work Savings as per scope

-$43,371.87

Performance / Payment Bonds

-$568.13

TOTAL FIELD PROJECTS DEDUCTIONS

-$50,000

Financing

The district will not be increasing next year’s (or any year’s) budget to pay for the turf field projects. Instead, it will be paid for out of the Capital Projects Fund which contains the remaining portion of our 2012 Bond Issue. Funding out of the Capital Projects Fund would have no impact upon the local taxpayer, no impact upon the 2015-2016 general fund budget, and minimal impact upon the district’s debt service as the majority of the money is currently residing in that fund.

The November 11, 2013 Caucus meeting document above includes the amount of money issued in the 2012 bond issuance and the impact that bond issue will have on our overall debt service.  It is important to note that the District will be debt free on May 1, 2023.

Safety and Health Factors

Synthetic Turf and the Use of Crumb Rubber:

Field Turf Presentation on Safety of Material Citing Scientific Studies

Field Turf Presentation of a small collection of studies related to the safety of artificial turf

Concerns about the use of crumb rubber were discussed and addressed by the Superintendent of Schools who referenced a report that was generated by the Synthetic Turf Council (STC).  The STC believes that reliable scientific data should be the foundation of any discussion regarding the safety of synthetic turf.  During the past two decades, there have been more than 60 technical studies and reports that review the health effects of crumb rubber as it pertains to toxicities from inhalation, ingestion and dermal contact, as well as cancer. These studies and reports were performed during the past 22 years by independent organizations such as: Connecticut Department of Health, Hofstra University, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and University of California Berkeley. The preponderance of evidence shows no negative health effects associated with crumb rubber in synthetic turf.  As NBC factually reported, “there is no research directly linking crumb rubber to cancer.”

Risk of Injuries Associated with playing on Synthetic Turf:
Based  on the available evidence, it appears that the potential and risk for injury is not increased and that some types of injuries might actually be reduced by using the new FieldTurf type surfaces. Findings from a peer-reviewed studied published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine found:

• 7% fewer injuries
• 3% fewer minor injuries
• 19% fewer substantial injuries
• 22% fewer severe injuries
• 10% less injury during inclement weather (rain, snow, sleet)
• 42% less injury during no precipitation, wet field conditions
• 24% lower incidence of injury during games played under hot weather conditions