San Francisco voters will get to weigh in on the redevelopment of aging soccer filed, because the debate whether the city should be streaked from installing lights and artificial turf on Golden Gate Park still active. The city is poised to construct the fields after long debate, but a group of neighbors, environmentalists, and others has been gathering information for the November ballot measure that would allow installation for artificial turf in the park.
San Francisco supervisors believe that they should ensure that the city would have enough of synthetic athletic fields for all of the residents, but particularly the children. The city is concerned that children have limited fields to play on that will keep the families active. The project would replace the worn and gopher-hole-pocked soccer fields near the Beach Chalet with more-resilient artificial turf that would be lighted for night play. As more grass fields in San Francisco, city is converted to synthetic turf; a debate has been heating up about the advantages of artificial turf fields.
The high cost that involved having a natural grass, along with water usage and with the level of maintenance it takes to keep it looking good and more importantly safe to play upon, are just a few of the reasons why the city is eager to learn more about the advantages of synthetic turf versus natural grass. According to a spokesperson for the Synthetic Turf Council in Atlanta, about 900 new synthetic turf fields were installed at schools nationwide in 2008. Fist advantage of installing artificial turf in the city will lower the maintenance costs. While the initial cost of installing the artificial grass (around $600K) is high, supporters claim that the upkeep is much less expensive, dropping by some estimates from $35K to $5K per year. Artificial turf also is pesticide free that unlike natural grass, turf does not require treatment with pesticides and fertilizers.
Artificial turf in San Francisco fields is much more long-lasting than grass because durability is much higher which allows broader access of use. The filed can be played on it all the time and in time of limited fields; they give sports organizations space they might otherwise not have. The problem of the rainy season that result in cancellation of numerous games and practices planned for grass fields is eliminated, and one match on a muddy field can ruin the field for the rest of the season. Durability and an even playing surface mean fewer injuries and unlike grass that gets torn up by rough play and eventually turns into vast patches of slippery mud (twisted ankles from ruts, uneven playing surface, slips in the dirt). And finally, artificial grass uses less water than natural grass.
In November, San Francisco voters will face the ballot with a measure whether to put the artificial turf soccer field at the park. Factors such as water usage and maintenance are the motivating reasons behind the Global Syn-Turf synthetic turf solutions are setting the standard with innovative technologies specifically developed to guarantee the health and safety of its players as well as the life-span of the initial installation.
