The days of Astroturf are long gone.
In fact artificial turf as a whole seems to have gone the way of the dinosaur. Synthetic is the word these days, and fields full of polyurethane blades of grass filled with thousands of pieces of rubber ‘dirt? is the norm.
As early as next year Clarkston High School football stadium will be the latest high school field in Oakland County to be upgraded to synthetic turf. The changeover from natural grass is estimated to cost $800,000. The new turf is part of phase I of the Master Facilities plan which was passed at the Jan. 10 school board meeting.
Unlike the other items in phase I, the synthetic turf field was not specifically part of the 2003 bond, although there is a provision for an ‘upgrade of field surfaces.?
‘I hate to say we have extra money available, because we are not done with all the projects, but we have undesignated funds of $1.8 million as we stand this very day. That is where the money is coming from (for the synthetic turf),? said Bruce Beamer in the presentation to the board on Jan. 10.
Superintendent Dr. Al Roberts was quick to note the surplus funds are due to bond bids coming in under budget and the schools managing the bond money ‘very well up to this point.?
The biggest drawing point of the new turf field is the flexibility and versatility the high school would gain. This past year, in the fall, only football games were played at the CHS football stadium since the grass could not be maintained under higher usage.
‘By reducing the number of gym classes and practices on the other fields, you also reduce, to some extent, the maintenance costs on practice fields as well,? said Deputy Superintendent Dave Reschke.
With new synthetic turf, the football team can split practice time on the field with the soccer team, and both sports can play their games there. In addition the CHS? marching band, as well as any number of gym classes, will also be able to use the area without ruining the field for the Friday night football game.
The current maintenance costs for one natural grass field in the Clarkston school district is $11,250 a year, according to the packet given to the school board prior to their vote. This includes mowing, fertilization, aeration, topdressing, painting and irrigation repairs.
According to Rich Jordan, vice president of sales and marketing at General Sports Turf Systems, the maintenance costs for one of his company’s synthetic turf fields is roughly $5,000 a year. General Sports Turf Systems installed the field the Wolves played on (and lost on) at West Bloomfield High School and is currently working on three synthetic turf fields for the Rochester school system.
Jordan mentioned that a synthetic turf field must be groomed so that trash does not work its way into the rubber ‘dirt? fill, and occasionally the fill must be redistributed across the field.
?(Synthetic turf) is a turf management tool, it is not meant to replace natural grass,? said Jordan, implying that Clarkston could shift usage of other natural turf fields to the synthetic one to further cut maintenance costs district wide.
The current timetable for installation of the new synthetic turf field includes having a bid confirmed and ready for the board at the Feb. 14 meeting and breaking ground sometime in March or April. The goal is for the field to be ready for the start of fall sports.