April 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 70

Operations
Homework on Groundwork
Of the many variables in deciding to convert to synthetic turf for playing fields, cost is
just the starting point
By Phil Hayward

M

ac or PC? Cotton or polyester? Natural or synthetic turf ? Life is
full of such choices. But for agency directors, none can be quite so
vexing as choosing turf surfaces for their playing fields. In the real
world of budgets and competing points of view, deciding on natural or synthetic turf can take years. Most communities don't begin the process until demand
begins to clearly outstrip their inventory of available playing fields. Then they
begin the lengthy process of community engagement, meetings, surveys, intricate cost/revenue analyses, and vetting health concerns.
That was the situation facing the
park and recreation agencies interviewed by Parks & Recreation. Previous
articles in the magazine have explored
the advantages and disadvantages of

each surface (December 2010, June
2011). This month, agency directors
discuss their decision-making processes and what they learned along the
way. Their takeaway for other park

operators is that by adding synthetic
turf to their inventories of natural turf
fields, they were able to significantly
increase the number of usage hours-
and user fees-which helped offset the
installation costs of the former.
The city of El Paso, Texas, recently
faced the situation of increasing demand for playing times on its fields.
With a population of 700,000, the
city occupies close to 70 percent of El
Paso County, nearly 200 square miles.
Joel McKnight, deputy director of
general services, says his department

Installation of an all-weather turf
field in The Woodlands, Texas.

68

Parks & Recreation

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April 2013 - Parks & Recreation

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