Artificial turf fields closed around DC again - please contact and express frustration!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How does one "fix" an artificial turf field in order to pass a hardness test? How the hell do they even get "hard" considering that the fields are synthetic?

It sounds like the regular maintenance schedule for these fields is not being adhered by DCPS or DGS.

You replace the filler.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Side note - is artificial turf a lot less expensive to maintain than grass?

Grass on a playing field becomes hard packed mud very quickly. To maintain an impact safe grass field like you see in stadiums is very expensive and flat out does not happen in the real world. I remember when our school had a grass field. We called it the dust bowl. It was as hard as concrete. Back then parents complained about concussions and asthma.

Huh, interesting. Well, it's hot in DC and only going to get hotter, and it doesn't seem like DGS is able to maintain the artificial turf fields anyway. And I wonder if it's even true that synthetic turf isn't as hard as natural turf?

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/30/sports/football/concussion-report-highlights-field-maintenance.html

Given, all this I'd take a natural surface any day, even if it's packed dirt and down-trodden grass.

You really want school yards that are packed dirt?

That's hardly the only option. We have a bunch of grass fields on the Hill and they seem fine. Grass needs to be maintained, just like artificial turf needs to be maintained.

In schools with 600+ kids having daily recess and outdoor PE on them?

Maybe not 600+ but plenty of kids running around. I mean, it's not like it's impossible to maintain a grass field!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Side note - is artificial turf a lot less expensive to maintain than grass?

Grass on a playing field becomes hard packed mud very quickly. To maintain an impact safe grass field like you see in stadiums is very expensive and flat out does not happen in the real world. I remember when our school had a grass field. We called it the dust bowl. It was as hard as concrete. Back then parents complained about concussions and asthma.

Huh, interesting. Well, it's hot in DC and only going to get hotter, and it doesn't seem like DGS is able to maintain the artificial turf fields anyway. And I wonder if it's even true that synthetic turf isn't as hard as natural turf?

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/30/sports/football/concussion-report-highlights-field-maintenance.html

Given, all this I'd take a natural surface any day, even if it's packed dirt and down-trodden grass.

You really want school yards that are packed dirt?

That's hardly the only option. We have a bunch of grass fields on the Hill and they seem fine. Grass needs to be maintained, just like artificial turf needs to be maintained.

In schools with 600+ kids having daily recess and outdoor PE on them?

Maybe not 600+ but plenty of kids running around. I mean, it's not like it's impossible to maintain a grass field!

Fields like Jelleff and WIlson are in use from sunup to well after dark, just about every day of the year. They probably get 3,000 hours of use a year. No grass field in the world could stand up to that.