Friday, December 7, 2012
The new artificial turf fields will not only benefit the teams that play on them, but also those that stay on the grass fields, athletes say.
Haddonfield Memorial High School junior Henry Klaus didn’t understand all the fuss about a new turf field at the Bulldawgs’ football stadium. Then he got the chance to play on a turf field, and, suddenly, it clicked. “I didn’t really mind our field that much,” Klaus said. “I liked playing on dirt until I got to play on a really nice turf field. Now I am kind of excited for it.” Next year, turf is coming to the Bulldawgs’ football stadium, as well as the adjacent, Victory Field, owned by the borough. The new installation is being funded by $600,000 raised privately for the just $1 million project, with the borough and school board covering the balance. The installation of turf fields in the borough has been a lightning rod for criticism …
Friday, June 22, 2012
The Turf Field Committee has until 2014 to raise $500K.
The Haddonfield Board of Education plowed through a long agenda Thursday that included a report by board member Dennis Kelleher on the Turf Field Committee’s efforts to raise money for new artificial turf at two fields at Haddonfield Memorial High School. A recent fundraiser featuring a barbecue and golf tournament at Tavistock Country Club raised approximately $25,000 toward the just over $1 million needed to install new turf, Kelleher said. “It was really a tremendous thing, a family event. There were about 400 people there (at Tavistock). The turf committee is aiming to raise $500,000 to $600,000 for this project and I think they’ll do that if this event was any indication of all the interest and excitement in the community.” Borough …
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 …
Jack S
3:17 pm on Saturday, December 8, 2012
The surveyor told me I had submitted an entry for a Walmart gift card, which I hadn't. Then he asked about income level, ethnicity, residency status, etc. He claimed he needed to know my name (if I had truly won a sweepstakes, I'm sure he could have figured out that information from the alleged entry). If the pro-Bancroft lobby is willing to spend real money on telemarketing firms that throw out … more ›