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Making informed decisions
Grass is getting a chance!
At the April 9 Town Meeting, the Recreation Committee and staff announced that two large rectangular natural grass fields of sand-based root zone surface would be constructed at Harrington Field.
Thank you for your support for high-performance grass fields and their benefits in terms of cost and the health and safety of our children and the environment. We hope you will continue to follow the process as we work with the Recreation Committee and staff to ensure that the maximum benefit is achieved from what could be a pilot of high-performance grass fields.
The next Recreation Department community meeting to get input on the design of the fields is scheduled for Tuesday, April 15 at 6:30 pm (on Zoom and in person at the Community Center, Rm 237). We encourage you to attend and continue to provide input if you can regarding the surface choice. You can register for the meeting here.
If you missed the April 8 LexCAN meeting on High Performance Grass Fields you can view the recording here.
Why should we consider natural grass turf for our athletic fields?
Why should we consider natural grass turf for our athletic fields?
1. Playability/Playing Time - “Good” Grass, i.e., organically managed natural grass fields afford playing times comparable to artificial/plastic turf
With maintenance tailored to the field - Hopkins Field in Marblehead MA gets > 1800 hours annual play
“Good Grass” management promotes healthy root growth, starts with good construction practices including drainage, and requires maintenance, based on science and individualized to the field
2. Sustainability - Artificial turf is made of plastic, has a significant environmental burden while grass fields are beneficial to the environment
Plastics are made from fossil fuels and emissions associated with plastic production are forecast to quadruple by 2050, offsetting a significant portion of the gains we have made with our decarbonization efforts
Reduce waste and avoid significant disposal issues
Plastic turf cannot be recycled or reused despite claims
Keep harmful microplastics and chemicals out of surrounding nature and watersheds
Mystic River Watershed Association and Charles River Watershed Association oppose installation of plastic turf fields
Plastic turf emits CO2 while grass absorbs CO2
3. Health Risks
Natural grass provides a safer, cooler playing surface 30-85 degrees F cooler than artificial turf, which can be a heat island, at 125-190 degrees F on a hot day!
Avoid potential exposure to PFAS chemicals in artificial turf
PFAS can impact health (e.g., metabolic, developmental, specific cancers)
Research ongoing about how much PFAS humans can tolerate, but PFAS exposures accumulate over life, greater consequences for young children, small exposures may be relevant
Microplastics are shed from artificial turf fibers
can impact health (e.g., inflammation, respiratory, cardiovascular), exposures accumulate over life
4. Life Cycle Costs
A well-managed grass field may cost about 2 times less than an artificial turf field over 20 years
Want to see more natural grass athletic playing fields? Here's how you can help:
Want to see more natural grass athletic playing fields? Here's how you can help:
Let the Lexington Select Board, your Town Meeting Members and the Recreation Committee know that you support natural grass fields at Old Harrington:
Contact your Town Meeting Members
Contact the Recreation Committee
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Sign our petition below (your address and email will NOT be shared):
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