Someone asked me today why there has been a police officer standing at the Heermance entrance to RHS for the past few days. This was a requirement by the Village for the work on the Stadium field. They said it would be mandatory that a police officer be stationed there for "safety" reasons, due to the trucks entering and exiting. The cost is being paid by the District. And if you think this is a waste of money, you're right. But it was a requirement in order to get our permits.
Aside from that, the fields are looking great. I haven't been by yet today, but yesterday the gravel on Stevens was so flat and level and smooth. What a great improvement that is going to be for the kids playing on that field. Maybe I'll post a picture or two later.
The rest of the construction projects are rolling along. It's truly amazing to go through town and see all the activity. I think at this point I'm most excited about the RHS roof finally being complete and the field improvements. Speaking of roofs, several are being repaired throughout the District, but one that's not -- and which really, really needs it -- is the Ed Center roof. There are so many leaks, birds getting into the attic, other critters...I believe estimates are being prepared, and research is being done to learn what repairs can and cannot be done on a building that's on the National Register of Historic Places. There's a (probably slim) possibility of grant money that is being explored as well. The slate roof on the beautiful landmark building is probably the most durable, long-lasting roof they could have installed. I'm sure the builders were impressed with the projected 100-year lifespan. But it's been 115 years, so...
Showing posts with label artificial turf. Show all posts
Showing posts with label artificial turf. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
DEP Hearing on artificial turf fields
Just wanted to remind you that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection will hold a hearing for public comments on the turf fields we'll be installing at the RHS Stadium and Stevens Fields. Such a hearing is standard procedure whenever the DEP receives letters from the public regarding a project and, since they received a few letters from Ridgewood, they'll have the hearing.
The hearing will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, March 15, at the Ed Center, 3rd floor. This is one hour before the start of our regular Board of Education meeting, at 7:30 p.m. We're not exactly sure about the format for the hearing -- it's being run by the DEP and they have not answered most of our questions -- but we do know that all speakers will have a maximum of three minutes to share their thoughts. I do not know if the DEP representative(s) will answer questions.
If you support the turf fields -- as you know I do -- I hope you will come out and share your views. If you have environmental concerns, I hope you will come express those as well.
Please arrive early. Between the DEP hearing and our budget discussions, I'm sure the room will be a little more full than it usually is on Monday nights!
See you there!
The hearing will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, March 15, at the Ed Center, 3rd floor. This is one hour before the start of our regular Board of Education meeting, at 7:30 p.m. We're not exactly sure about the format for the hearing -- it's being run by the DEP and they have not answered most of our questions -- but we do know that all speakers will have a maximum of three minutes to share their thoughts. I do not know if the DEP representative(s) will answer questions.
If you support the turf fields -- as you know I do -- I hope you will come out and share your views. If you have environmental concerns, I hope you will come express those as well.
Please arrive early. Between the DEP hearing and our budget discussions, I'm sure the room will be a little more full than it usually is on Monday nights!
See you there!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Report says "no evidence that Ridgewood synthetic turf field poses a threat to environment, flood plain or children."
For anyone with questions about the benefits/risks of artificial turf in Ridgewood, the following recent press release from REAC (Ridgewood Environmental Advisory Committee) should be helpful (bold or italic sections are my highlights).
11-30-09 Ridgewood, NJ: In November 2009, the Ridgewood Environmental Advisory Committee (R.E.A.C.) released its environmental, health and safety assessment of the synthetic field at Maple Park. The assessment may be accessed at R.E.A.C.’s website by clicking here.
Three years ago, Ridgewood replaced a grass field at Maple Park with a synthetic field manufactured by FieldTurf. Media reports of concerns over synthetic turf fields in NJ received national attention in 2008, prompting REAC to form a sub-committee to conduct a 10-month assessment of whether these concerns affect the residents of Ridgewood. R.E.A.C. focused on identifying the most current and objective information on synthetic turf, in order to provide an unbiased reference resource for the residents of the Village of Ridgewood.
R.E.A.C.’s assessment focused only on concerns, which are applicable in Ridgewood and are specific to the synthetic “infill” turf field design at Maple Park. Much of the information presented in the assessment was derived from actual testing at Maple Park, some of which was previously not available.
The assessment also includes test results and commentary from government sources, including the NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection, NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation, NYS Dept. of Health, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California Environmental Protection Agency. Other important sources include the American Journal of Sports Medicine, British Journal of Sports Medicine, the Clean Washington Center (CWC), Penn State University Center for Sports Surface Research, Ridgewood Dept. of Parks & Recreation, RHS Athletic Dept. and RHS Director of Health & Wellness. There are extensive video and website links incorporated into the assessment, which may be of interest to Ridgewood residents.
The assessment is intended to be a living document that can be modified as new credible information becomes available. The overall conclusions from the assessment are that there is no evidence that the synthetic field at Maple Park poses a threat to the environment, the flood plain around the park or children, who use the field. In addition, the assessment highlights a number environmental and functional advantages that have been realized locally and beyond Ridgewood, as a result of the field installation. R.E.A.C. notes that it did not consider financial costs or potential savings associated with the field when conducting its assessment, as these were beyond the environmental, heath and safety scope of the assessment.
The R.E.A.C. is an independent volunteer committee, appointed by the Village Council, with experience and/or interest in environmental issues. REAC advises the Village Council on environmental, health and human safety issues in Ridgewood. It also seeks to assist the residents of Ridgewood in addressing environmental concerns by advocating “best practices”, which protect the environment, respect the ecosystem and promote sustainability.
For additional information, please contact John Halenar with R.E.A.C. at johnhalenar@yahoo.com.
11-30-09 Ridgewood, NJ: In November 2009, the Ridgewood Environmental Advisory Committee (R.E.A.C.) released its environmental, health and safety assessment of the synthetic field at Maple Park. The assessment may be accessed at R.E.A.C.’s website by clicking here.
Three years ago, Ridgewood replaced a grass field at Maple Park with a synthetic field manufactured by FieldTurf. Media reports of concerns over synthetic turf fields in NJ received national attention in 2008, prompting REAC to form a sub-committee to conduct a 10-month assessment of whether these concerns affect the residents of Ridgewood. R.E.A.C. focused on identifying the most current and objective information on synthetic turf, in order to provide an unbiased reference resource for the residents of the Village of Ridgewood.
R.E.A.C.’s assessment focused only on concerns, which are applicable in Ridgewood and are specific to the synthetic “infill” turf field design at Maple Park. Much of the information presented in the assessment was derived from actual testing at Maple Park, some of which was previously not available.
The assessment also includes test results and commentary from government sources, including the NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection, NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation, NYS Dept. of Health, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California Environmental Protection Agency. Other important sources include the American Journal of Sports Medicine, British Journal of Sports Medicine, the Clean Washington Center (CWC), Penn State University Center for Sports Surface Research, Ridgewood Dept. of Parks & Recreation, RHS Athletic Dept. and RHS Director of Health & Wellness. There are extensive video and website links incorporated into the assessment, which may be of interest to Ridgewood residents.
The assessment is intended to be a living document that can be modified as new credible information becomes available. The overall conclusions from the assessment are that there is no evidence that the synthetic field at Maple Park poses a threat to the environment, the flood plain around the park or children, who use the field. In addition, the assessment highlights a number environmental and functional advantages that have been realized locally and beyond Ridgewood, as a result of the field installation. R.E.A.C. notes that it did not consider financial costs or potential savings associated with the field when conducting its assessment, as these were beyond the environmental, heath and safety scope of the assessment.
The R.E.A.C. is an independent volunteer committee, appointed by the Village Council, with experience and/or interest in environmental issues. REAC advises the Village Council on environmental, health and human safety issues in Ridgewood. It also seeks to assist the residents of Ridgewood in addressing environmental concerns by advocating “best practices”, which protect the environment, respect the ecosystem and promote sustainability.
For additional information, please contact John Halenar with R.E.A.C. at johnhalenar@yahoo.com.
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