Anonymous
Post 09/10/2018 12:14     Subject: Artificial turf fields closed around DC again - please contact and express frustration!!
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?
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2018 10:58     Subject: Artificial turf fields closed around DC again - please contact and express frustration!!
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.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2018 10:57     Subject: Artificial turf fields closed around DC again - please contact and express frustration!!
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.


Yeah, I'm wondering how the original decisions were made to install turf. Here on Capitol Hill we have a bunch of grass fields at schools, but is it DPR property where the turf was installed?
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2018 10:54     Subject: Artificial turf fields closed around DC again - please contact and express frustration!!
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.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2018 10:27     Subject: Artificial turf fields closed around DC again - please contact and express frustration!!
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?
Anonymous
Post 09/09/2018 23:24     Subject: Artificial turf fields closed around DC again - please contact and express frustration!!
They said the fields were ALL just cleared. Which means many were practicing on fields that weren't up to par. Again, the Ooops Division for DGS and DCPS in full effect.
Anonymous
Post 09/08/2018 16:51     Subject: Artificial turf fields closed around DC again - please contact and express frustration!!
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.


I attended a Catholic elementary school.

The playground "field" at my elementary school was the church parking lot.

Anonymous
Post 09/08/2018 15:47     Subject: Re:Artificial turf fields closed around DC again - please contact and express frustration!!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
WaPo story (including a very unflattering picture of the Horace Mann field):

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/its-soccer-season-but-dc-closes-playing-fields-due-to-hardness/2018/09/07/9157050c-b2b4-11e8-a20b-5f4f84429666_story.html?utm_term=.d284f808c121


"No convenient time to test and repair" WHAT? How about winter?????


Or summer.
Anonymous
Post 09/08/2018 14:35     Subject: Artificial turf fields closed around DC again - please contact and express frustration!!
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.
Anonymous
Post 09/08/2018 13:43     Subject: Re:Artificial turf fields closed around DC again - please contact and express frustration!!
Anonymous wrote:
WaPo story (including a very unflattering picture of the Horace Mann field):

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/its-soccer-season-but-dc-closes-playing-fields-due-to-hardness/2018/09/07/9157050c-b2b4-11e8-a20b-5f4f84429666_story.html?utm_term=.d284f808c121


"No convenient time to test and repair" WHAT? How about winter?????
Anonymous
Post 09/08/2018 13:37     Subject: Artificial turf fields closed around DC again - please contact and express frustration!!
Anonymous wrote:This thread gets 5 apples out of 5. Imprortant topic highlighting DPR incompetence.


What’s with apples, PP? Don’t tell me: you have moved on from beefing. Very disappointing. One apple for you.
Anonymous
Post 09/08/2018 11:10     Subject: Re:Artificial turf fields closed around DC again - please contact and express frustration!!

WaPo story (including a very unflattering picture of the Horace Mann field):

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/its-soccer-season-but-dc-closes-playing-fields-due-to-hardness/2018/09/07/9157050c-b2b4-11e8-a20b-5f4f84429666_story.html?utm_term=.d284f808c121
Anonymous
Post 09/08/2018 09:03     Subject: Artificial turf fields closed around DC again - please contact and express frustration!!
This thread gets 5 apples out of 5. Imprortant topic highlighting DPR incompetence.
Anonymous
Post 09/08/2018 08:09     Subject: Artificial turf fields closed around DC again - please contact and express frustration!!
Anonymous wrote:While we are talking about incompetence, DPR closes Wilson pool each February - the final and most important month of HS swimming season.


And that one isn't even difficult or expensive to fix.
Anonymous
Post 09/07/2018 23:06     Subject: Artificial turf fields closed around DC again - please contact and express frustration!!
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



No natural grass field in DC would pass a hardness test. That's one of the ironies of this.