Friday, September 14, 2012
Engineers, coaches and parents talk about benefits and burdens of artificial turf.
The Haddonfield Board of Education on Thursday heard an in-depth presentation about the nature, composition and costs of artificial-turf athletic fields. The turf project has been a lightning rod for objections over a $16.9 million plan for a public purchase of the 18.7-acre Bancroft property adjacent to the high school. Public opinion in three meetings on the purchase in July was generally supportive of the plan, which would acquire the property for current and future school use and to preserve open space. A sticking point was over the inclusion of funds to resurface the high school football stadium with artificial turf and to construct a new artificial turf field there. Some supporters of the public purchase have said they would not …
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Haddonfield's commissioners approve $356,000 toward turf fields at the high school, in a move that draws both delight and disgust among resides on opposite ends of the playing field.
Two hours of passionate commentary at Tuesday’s borough commissioners meeting for and against spending taxpayer money on turf fields came down to a quick, unanimous vote: Haddonfield will fork over $356,000 to resurface the fields. Supporters leapt to their feet in a standing ovation after the commissioners cast their votes, cheering what they see as a vital step to promoting sports in town and protecting athletes from injury. Among those applauding were many student-athletes who took to the microphone to recount injuries, tripping over rocks and competitive disadvantages they all attributed to subpar grass fields. The commissioners’ vote allows the Turf Field Committee, a citizens group, to continue its fundraising efforts for the project…
Read what your neighbors had to say at Tuesday's hearing on turf fields. Then don't forget to share your own soundbite in the comments section.
Tuesday’s public hearing on whether Haddonfield should partially fund new turf fields drew a packed house to the normally sleepy borough commissioners meeting. With 30 residents speaking out for or against the project, and about 100 in attendance, there was plenty of passion to go around. There were also more sound bites than could ever be included in one article. Now that you’ve read our recap of the meeting, hear more of your neighbors’ opinions on the turf project, why residents do and don’t support it, and some of their questions. The comments here are presented in alphabetical order: “The playing fields in Haddonfield are overused and in terrible shape. … Turf fields will be an investment that individuals at all levels and in …
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
The allocation is contingent on a private group raising half of the money for the $1 million project at Haddonfield Memorial High School.
The Haddonfield Board of Commissioners on Monday agreed to contribute $354,000 to a $1 million project to install artificial turf at two fields at Haddonfield Memorial High School. The money will be contingent on $500,000 in private funds raised by a community group for the project. The agreement came after a 20-minute presentation from Joe Del Duca, a local attorney leading the private fundraising effort, and a lively 30-minute debate with Del Duca, and among themselves, at a work session. The commissioners finally agreed to support a resolution at their next meeting on Tuesday, May 22. Commissioner Jeff Kasko expressed concern that approving a resolution then may not provide enough time for public comment. “I’m very nervous not to have …
Brian Kelly
2:06 pm on Sunday, September 16, 2012
For anyone who can't access Haddonfield United via facebook, www.peer.org/docs/doc will give you pertinent information not only about how the effects of heat cause the turf materials to interact at a dynamic level and cause 24 carcinogenic gases harmful to humans, but also some candid admissions from the Synthetic Turf Industry itself. more ›