Kudos to the Recreation Committee. With Article 7 of the Special Town Meeting a robust, transparent, process for determining field material and surface type for the proposed recreation fields at the site of “Old Harrington” school has been assured:

“That the design process will include comparative evaluation of all field materials and surface types including natural grass, artificial turf, and hybrid options; and that field material options including natural grass, artificial turf, and hybrid will be presented to user groups, the Athletic Playing Surfaces Working Group, and the community-at-large for their evaluation and feedback;”

Determining field material is not a simple decision, but one that will involve tradeoffs among a series of considerations including: cost, timeliness, playtime, sustainability and health. Successful high traffic natural grass fields in Maryland and Massachusetts with playtimes comparable to Lexington’s demanding field schedule have been designed to the specifics of the intended use and the conditions of the local site. Participants in the evaluation will need data and access to industry consultants to achieve informed recommendations.

It will be important to start from a “level playing field,” grounded in a comprehensive analysis of the current and proposed field use, and the addition of consultants with expertise in the construction and management of organically managed natural grass fields. This will complement existing expertise in the construction and maintenance of artificial turf fields, providing a well-rounded analysis.   

Organically managed natural grass turf fields can be designed for a variety of conditions, hence the necessity for understanding how the fields will be used before setting about design. It is critical that consultants actively involved in design and construction of organically managed natural turf be brought into the analysis at an early stage.

In addition to construction costs, the life cycle costs of the various options should be considered including annual maintenance and disposal fees. Irrigation, aeration and  specific mowing practices may be necessary to maintain high performing grass fields. 

As a community, we can come to a reasoned decision when we start with a common understanding of the choices.

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