The artificial turf at Sullivan Field. Los Alamos County is investigating whether or not to install artificial turf on some of its athletic fields. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
The idea of replacing natural grass with artificial turf on selected Los Alamos County-owned athletic fields has been circulating around the community for some time.
The County first mentioned the idea to the public in September. After several more public hearings and a community survey, the final public meeting will be 5:30 p.m. May 15 at Fuller Lodge.
As far as what the public thinks about this idea – the pros and cons have been voiced. As Community Services Department Director Cory Styron said, nothing is set in concrete but the proposed plans for artificial turf and corresponding facility changes to the County’s athletic fields have been modified as the public has shared its opinion.
As it stands, according to the County’s presentation made at the April 23 public meeting, the athletic fields that would have their grass swapped out for artificial turf are the Lou Caveglia softball field and baseball’s Bomber Field on North Mesa. In White Rock, the fields proposed to have artificial turf are Hope softball field, Dara Jones soccer field and X Lovato softball field in Overlook Park.
Besides artificial turf, suggestions for other improvements to these two athletic areas include expanding parking such as offering EV charging stations and designated bus parking, adding new play areas for children, including announcer booths, installing shade structures and allowing for more accessibility for pedestrians.
Styron said making American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other amenity improvements outside of the artificial turf was always part of the scope of work for this project.
“We knew we needed to talk about possibly reconfiguring the fields, especially for ADA,” he said. “We know there are some challenges in the restrooms. We are trying to make things more accessible and see if there is a place for children to play if their parents are on an adult team. It really enhances the family experience and the experience of the visitor.”
Other considerations, Styron said, include adhering the fields’ lighting to the recently adopted code for dark skies.
As for the artificial turf, Styron said the idea was sparked due to the high school’s baseball and softball team needing the fields in February to begin their season, which can be hampered if there is snow on the fields or the fields are frozen. It was also identified during the development of the Community Services Department’s Integrated Master Plan.
Artificial turf could allow the teams to practice during this time and possibly extend their seasons, he added.
“… we’re trying to see the feasibility and the possibility of our kids being able to have experience on natural turf and artificial turf,” Styron said. “The technology and manufacturing on turf has changed significantly since it was first put down in 1960s. It has padding, infill mix … the industry has moved to more environmentally sustainable products and installation processes. I think they have made significant strides in how they develop their turf. When you look at the data there are potential issues on either side.”
According to the April 23 presentation, the pros listed for artificial turf included being a deterrent for gophers and their holes, minimizing water use, reducing pesticides and helping student athletes be more competitive.
Among the cons are artificial turf can get hot and there could be environmental and human impacts due to the turf’s materials.
No matter if the grass is artificial or natural, Styron said there are pluses and minuses to both.
The point of investigating artificial turf is “to see if there is a way to improve our community,” he said.
One of the main users of the athletic fields is Los Alamos High School and its Athletic Director Guy Meyer said the schools are open to whatever the County decides.
“We’re excited to continue with our great partnership with the County,” he said. “Our focus is student safety, consistent use that is year-round. We’re on board with whatever the County decides and we will continue to be a great partner.”
Meyer said he felt there are numerous benefits to artificial turf that include allowing for multiple sports to utilize the fields and providing an even surface, which helps with safety.
He noted that installing artificial turf at Sullivan Field has been a plus.
“It is a community space that is highly used by everybody,” Meyer said, adding that people play disc golf on the field, do sprint training and the field hosts football and soccer games.
“It’s fun and exciting for us to see when we host kids from all over the state and their eyes get big when they see that beautiful facility…,” Meyer said.
As far as what will ultimately be decided with the new artificial turf project, “We look forward to the public process and seeing how it all falls out,” Styron said.
After the May meeting, he said tentatively, the final design is expected to be presented to the Parks and Recreation board in either July or August and it should go before the council in August or September.
