By Joe Pinchot
A committee that is hoping to help Hermitage School Board replace the grass field at Hornet Stadium with turf thinks the facts make the case for them.
“There is a need for this product,” said Ed Pryts. “There is support for it. This is not a perk; it’s a necessity.”
Sure, the initial installation cost and future replacement costs are steep, but the district already is putting big money into maintaining the field, and turf would allow the already heavily-used field to be used even more, Turf Field Planning Committee members told the school board Monday.
The committee’s appearance attracted so many residents and interested parties that the board had to move the meeting from its regular room to the Artman Elementary School community room.
The recommended usage for a grass field is 30 to 50 times a year. The Hornet Stadium field was used for 177 events in 2009, by football, track, soccer teams, bands and other school activities. Many other Mercer County schools restrict usage of their fields in ways Hickory does not, said committee member Ron Piso.
If Hickory had turf, school officials could open up usage for gym classes, PIAA and District 10 playoff games, sports camps, baseball and softball practices and community events, he said. They could even stack events one after the other.
“We play most of our games away because we have no place to play,” said Larry Aikins, who coaches Midget football. He noted that his kids were very disappointed when one game scheduled for Hornet Stadium was moved to the Rodney White Olympic Park field next door because the Hornet field was unplayable.
Student William Dzuricsko, son of Athletic Director Barb Dzuricsko and a senior soccer player, noted that playoffs are held on artificial turf, and the soccer players had trouble adjusting to turf after playing on grass for the season.
“If we have this opportunity, why not take it?” said senior soccer player John Lubarski.
Committee member Mark Voytik said the Hornet Stadium field has lots of rock underneath and the drainage pipes are too small, so water does not drain off as it should.
“Once the field gets saturated, it’s pretty much loaded,” he said, noting, if the board puts in turf, refurbishes the grass field or does nothing, it still will have to contend with the poor drainage, he said.
“The key to any synthetic surface is the drainage system that you put in under it,” said Daryl Mooney of Covenant Industries, Uniontown, Ohio, a turf contractor.
A turf field would take some of the stress off the city-owned Rodney White field, which Voytik said probably is the most used field in the city, and is getting to the point of needing extensive work.
Committee members said they are willing to help the board; they are not taking any power away from the board. If the board decides to install turf, it would retain ownership of the field, decide usage, choose the kind of turf from many options, and control the bid process, Voytik said, adding,
“It’s your field, your decision.”
The committee said it costs $30,000 to $40,000 a year to maintain the grass field — including watering, fertilizing, seeding, equipment and staff — while it would take only about $5,000 to maintain a turf field.
Mooney said a 10-year life expectancy is reasonable for turf, with usage the key factor.
Ms. Dzuricsko got an estimate from Atlas Track and Tennis, Tualatin, Ore., that it would cost $865,000 to install a turf field, but committee members said they believe that can deliver the field for $650,000.
Even at $650,000, “It seems like this is quite an expense,” said resident John Krebs. He said the turf purchase price when compared to the grass maintenance cost “doesn’t seem practical.”
“I like to think the Hermitage School District is like a credit card,” he said. “We spend and pay later. Who’s going to pay for all this?”
The committee members said they have a goal of raising $100,000. Committee member Brian Beader, a Mercer County commissioner, said the committee members would donate, and Pryts said he believes he can get $50,000 pretty easily. Several potential donors want to see the school back the project before they commit, and Pryts said they would hold fundraisers.
Mooney said cost is always a concern when a school district considers turf.
“In most cases, this is a real political football you’re tossing around,” he said.
Some communities have been able to lower significant costs through donated materials and services, such as transportation, Mooney said.
Committee members approached Hermitage commissioners last week asking for their support of the project and consideration of in-kind services, such as waiving permit fees or helping with engineering, to further cut costs. Commissioners made no promises.
School Board President Laurie Biblis said the board members will look into the issue and discuss it, but no one spoke out for or against it.
