You can’t please everybody. The Great Neck Park District commissioners have nearly completed proposed $6.5 million capital improvement bond but a controversy has surfaced over whether or not to use synthetic turf at Memorial Field.
Although the commissioners voted unanimously to use synthetic grass, some area residents are asking that the district use good old fashioned grass instead.
Great Neck resident Elizabeth Allen says, synthetic turf poses severe health hazards to the community. “I’m going to be breathing in the same carcinogenic dust as you are,” she said.
Astro Turf was first used at the Houston Astrodome in 1966. Nobody liked it very much including the players and coaches. Since then significant improvements have been made.
Today the fake grass is used in 13 NFL stadium, including MetLife Stadium where both the Giants and Jets play, and every CFL stadium.
One of the biggest advantages of synthetic grass is that it is durable and easy to maintain. Unless Great Neck has the money to pay for ground crews to maintain and replace real grass, the synthetic field is clearly the best option.
Although there is a significant expense when the synthetic grass is installed, there is a major cost saving in the long run. We think Ms. Allen and others will have a hard time making their case about carcinogens.
Muddy, torn-up grass fields present a more credible risk to the athletes that will use Memorial Field.
