Synthetic Turf Gets Mulched

It was a year ago when I first read that the San Carlos Parks and Recreation Department was planning to convert Highlands Park (near my home) from its current natural grass state to a 21st century plastic field. This isn't astro turf but a soft flexible forgiving surface that stays forever green (forever is defined as 8 years according to the manufacturer's warranty) and replaces that messy dirt with recycled loose rubber pellets.

The product is touted as a huge improvement for Soccer players over the antiquated stuff that requires water, cutting and a bit of love. The surface is apparently perfect for year-round soccer play and boy does San Carlos like to play Soccer.  I'm told that the proposed conversion would allow play immediately after it rains and, as the big sports enthusiasts point out, even during the rain!

As a member of the San Carlos Soccer community (I coach), I was approached to help support the project.  "Why do you want this?" I asked innocently. "Because our players are really not competitive enough and if we had a year-round field we could really advance the program.

That truth was never uttered again. Instead, the City and the Sports nuts built a tale about growing demand, unmet needs and the huge increase in new playable hours if we only spend every last cent of the City's budget (and a few more to boot) on this hilltop Soccer Mecca.

I did get involved but to fight the idea instead of support it. There were many reasons I was determined to defeat this proposal but above all I love grass.  I love the smell. I love the gentle humidity it can create on an otherwise dry day. I love the cool touch and its fickle nature as we move through what passes for seasons in Northern California.

While I've always been fascinated with politics, I have never migrated from the position of armchair commentator to community leader. This wasn't what I would have chosen, but I guess it was a good introduction to the raw underbelly of local politics. It amazes me that otherwise upstanding citizens are willing to purposely mislead the community to get what they want.

My efforts focused around bringing light to a series of facts and realities that the City and others were doing their best to sweep under the carpet. It was a battle of spreadsheets, a battle of data, a battle of words--it was marketing. It was also a battle of stamina as this battle played out over a full year.

The "grass huggers" in the community made slow progress throughout the year. I learned a lot about how communities can organize and I discovered that one of my talents is the ability to battle. We disproved facts, we kept a steady stream of objections in front of the community leaders and we ultimately made our voice heard.

The San Carlos Mayor called to let me know that the City would not be installing any plastic in place of my precious grass for the next "2 or 3 years." He didn't quite get his way at the City Council meeting but he made it clear that the city simply doesn't have the money right now.

Our work will continue...

Greg

July 31, 2004

Greg Harris, Ó2004