NATURAL GRASS WINS OUT ON MARTHA’S VINEYARD

After a year of debate, the Martha’s Vineyard High School committee voted unanimously on May 11 to go with natural grass rather than synthetic or plastic playing surfaces for their field renovation projects.

Sometime back, it became evident that something had to be done about the athletic fields in the Martha’s Vineyard school system. A group of parents formed MV@Play to raise money to update and expand the fields. Tey proposed a plan that included a combination of natural and synthetic fields. After they introduced their plan many people started questioning the advisability of installing any synthetic surfaces. Te main concerns were cost and safety. Another group of parents and interested parties formed a new group, Vineyarders for Grass Fields (VGF). Tey presented a new plan that included all natural grass fields.

Te debate become very contentious. Two public meetings were held, each drawing 250 to 300 residents. Over 90 public comments were received, including one threatening a lawsuit if artificial turf was installed. A March survey sent home with students simply asked, “turf or grass?” One of the factors many proponents of the artificial surfaces touted was they would need less care. When it was pointed out that the school

fields really weren’t being overused, they just weren’t being cared for, many started to look at things a little differently. MV had no one really looking after field care. Tey were being used with no maintenance procedures in place.

On the topic of costs, different scenarios were discussed. Estimates seemed to be colored by who was presenting them. Also, most of the estimates for artificial surfaces did not take replacement costs into consideration. One independent report included the information from the Sports Turf Managers Association that has estimated between $197,000 and $753,000 in total costs over 16 years for natural grass, and between $1.19 million and $1.68 million for synthetic turf.

Te VGF obtained the services of two grass experts: Jerad Minnick of Growing Green Grass and Jeff Carlson of the Vineyard Golf Club. With the agreement on natural grass now in place, VGF is setting up a mechanism to raise funding. Included in the needs is $75,000 for a person that would oversee all field maintenance. Tings are looking up for the athletes on Martha’s Vineyard.

Excerpted from articles in Te Martha’s Vineyard Times, Vineyard Gazette and Athletic Business.

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