Feb 23, 2008

Parents plan march against artificial turf

San Carlos group wants to keep school field natural

By Mark Abramson / Daily News Staff Writer

An army of angry parents is mobilizing to picket the San Carlos School District's board meeting Thursday, one of the group's organizers said.

The parents and anyone else who wants to join will march with signs and pictures of children frolicking on natural grass fields to protest the board's decision last fall to let the city install artificial turf at Heather School, parent Joy Papapietro said Friday. She has a kindergarten daughter and third-grade son in the school at 2757 Melendy Drive.

Papapietro said protesting parents will march from Burton Park and from Brittan and Greenwood avenues to the board's meeting at White Oaks School.

"They want to rip up everything and put in plastic," said Papapietro, referring to the district's intent to eventually install artificial turf at other schools. She said the school board did not get enough community feedback before accepting the city's offer to put in turf at Heather School.

The board received more public input after voting 3-2 in mid-October for the synthetic turf, she said. Board Vice President Mark Olbert and Trustee Carrie DuBois dissented.

Since the vote, about 200 people have signed petitions protesting the decision, Papapietro said.

She contends artificial turf is dangerous, gets hotter than natural grass and will be difficult to maintain.

The city argues that artificial turf is more durable and easier to maintain than natural grass. It will pay $1.5 million to install the turf, which is expected to cost about $2.1 million to maintain over 20 years, compared to $1.5 million for grass. How much of the maintenance will be covered by the city still needs to be negotiated.

"We just believe it is an elementary school, not an athletic field," said DuBois, adding that artificial turf does not make sense at elementary schools.

Former school board president Eric Von der Porten, who also was a member of the city's Athletic Advisory Committee that studied San Carlos' athletic field needs, said the district has been talking about artificial turf for years so parents had plenty of time to weigh in. He voted in favor of artificial turf before leaving the board.

"I'm convinced that we need more field time for the recreational activities (in San Carlos)," Von der Porten said. "I don't think that anybody would argue there is a perfect solution. Natural has its advantages and artificial has its advantages."

Putting in synthetic turf at Heather School makes sense because it is one of the largest fields in the city and is in bad shape, he said.

"It is one of those things that you are never going to get everybody to agree," Von der Porten said.



E-mail Mark Abramson at mabramson@dailynewsgroup.com.