Turf Field Engineering Underway, School Board President Aylson Keisel and Superintedent Lyn McKay Receive Initial Check from the Chappaqua Turf Committee

The Chappaqua Turf Committee, also known as TC², is striding towards providing a state-of-the-art illuminated artificial turf field for the Chappaqua Central School District (CCSD) to be located at the Competition Field at Horace Greeley High School.

Having completed all of the earlier aspects of this project by working with school district personnel to set the parameters of the operation, selection of an engineering firm and field installation, TC² presented a check to the District to fund the engineering work needed to gain New York State Board of Education approval for the project.

“The Chappaqua School District gratefully accepts this check that enables this project to move forward.” said Alyson Keisel, CCSD School Board President. Keisel then signed the engineering contract with WBA enabling the work to proceed. Jeff Mester, CCSD School Board Vice President, thanked the TC² for its hard work and efforts on behalf of the district. Jim Nottingham, President of the Greeley Sports Booster, Co-Chair of TC² and Steve Bortniker, Boosters Treasurer, represented the TC².

“The TC² is dedicated to raising the two million dollars to make this field a reality. The committee has worked extremely hard within a very tight time frame to keep the momentum going for a 2012 installation,” said Nottingham. He added, “Now we need everyone to donate generously to meet the target amount needed to make this happen.”

The “Get Turf” campaign will begin shortly. TC² expects widespread fundraising participation from an assortment of community sources such as sports leagues, associations, teams, families and individuals enabling no requirement for public funding.
 

TC² Moving Forward To Fundraising Campaign --
Organizational Structure and Engineering Contract Complete

The Chappaqua Turf Committee, known as TC², is striding towards providing a state-of-the-art illuminated artificial turf field for the Chappaqua Central School District (CCSD) Competition Field at Horace Greeley High School. As a committee of the Greeley Sports Boosters, TC² has worked with school district personnel to set the parameters for operation, engineering firm selection and field installation. Having completed all earlier aspects of this project, TC² is ready to initiate the strategic fundraising campaign that will make this field a reality.

TC² is committed to raising the two million dollars needed to bring the school district athletic facilities on par with schools in surrounding communities by the fall season of 2012. Ossining, Armonk (Byram Hills), Mount Kisco (Fox Lane), Yorktown, Somers and a number of other school districts have artificial turf fields and lights. Some privately funded, but most installed with public district funds. Due to the economic reality facing CCSD, TC² approached the school board with a simple question, “If we raise the money for an illuminated turf field at no district cost, would you accept the gift and build the field?” The response was “Yes.”

TC², having done significant research on the full range of issues including health and safety, types of turf, lighting, and the economics of artificial turf, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with CCSD. Under the agreement, TC² will supply the funds needed to bring the project to completion by the target date of fall 2012 without the use of any district funds in the process or project. Although raising two million dollars is a formidable task, TC² is convinced that this goal is attainable in the timeframe because the project makes sense economically, ecologically and rationally.

Currently the Competition Field is grass, but is often unavailable due to rain that renders the field unplayable. The spring season, usually most affected by weather, sees the district spending thousands of dollars to bus teams to neighboring artificial fields to prepare for the season. So far this fall is giving even the wettest spring season a run for that title and this week’s rainfall on top of the amount dumped by Hurricane Irene has most fields soaking wet. This condition is not only dangerous, but also runs the risk of ruining the field. This in turn makes it likely that the district would incur the cost of refurbishing the field.

Field maintenance costs would be reduced and produce a saving of approximately $30,000 to $40,000 per year in addition to other savings that would result from not having to transport teams to artificial turf fields to practice when the Greeley fields are closed due to bad field conditions and inclement weather. Turf in this instance represents a double savings because the rental fee for outside field use would be unnecessary.

However, the best reason for an illuminated turf field is the ability to have more athletic competitions and practices under better conditions. Use would not be limited to the teams that play on the field at present as even teams that will not play on the field, such as baseball and softball, will be able to have certain practices. Fielding, shagging fly balls and running drills are a few of the exercises that can be conducted on turf. Field Hockey that currently plays matches up at the pole barn field can use the field for practices and games.

Light installation will increase field use and allow maximum use of the field. Current field use is limited to daylight hours, particularly problematic in the late fall and early spring seasons when daylight is in short supply. While state-of-the-art lighting uses technological developments in bulb and fixture manufacture and computer modeling to reduce spill, TC² still advocates a light curfew that calls for the light to be shut off between eight and nine the evening. In all matters the school board and district administration will set the policies for field use, lighting and related matters.

In the research process, the committee became aware of two community wide benefits it had not considered. Several turf field consultants pointed out that the illuminated turf field makes it accessible to special needs students and persons and provides a safer environment for those walking the track in the evenings.

Summing up, decreased maintenance costs, out-of-district field use fee savings, substantial reductions in bus use (less greenhouse gas emissions), and more practices, games and events are the economic, ecological and rational reasons behind the effort.

After the TC² and the CCSD Board of Education executed an MOU in August, TC² turned to the engineering requirements. The WBA Group of Branford, CT was the firm selected from the three firms that submitted bids for the project. This firm, which has guided the installation of a sizeable number of fields of this nature in the area, comes with an impeccable project record.

The CCSD School Board, which by law must be the entity to sign contracts involving school grounds and construction, voted Thursday evening, September 8, 2011, to sign the contact keeping the project on track. TC² raised the funds to provide payment for the contract’s execution through the first two major phases of the engineering work. This work keeps the project rolling, but is necessary to keep the timetable intact for field installation at by the 2012 fall. Phase three of the contract is not triggered until construction begins.

The funds for phase one and two of the project are already in the coffers of TC²’s Booster. The seed money raised from several sources, including Chappaqua Youth Soccer Club and Greeley Youth Lacrosse, covers the contract fee. Although many erroneous statements and inaccuracies have flooded the public discourse on this matter, as agreed in the MOU, no district funds will be used to build this field. TC² will gift this project to the district.

In addition to the school board and administration, the committee intends to work and collaborate with all organizations dedicated to the betterment of the school district, such as the PTA and CSF, the sports organizations and the community at large. Understanding that there are those who are against the installation of this field, TC² is trying to be respectful of that position by doing everything possible to eliminate or minimize objections. The goal is to do something that unifies.

Right now, TC²’s goal is clear – raise two million dollars and Get Turf! The committee is getting ready to launch the turf fundraising campaign that will court significant large sum donations as well as participation programs at lesser amounts. They will present the proposed recognition programs Quaker Way and Quaker Wall to the board for approval. One is a brick walkway from the parking lot to the field entrance that will display the names of donors. The other is a retaining wall (along the walkway) that will display the names of donors at the different levels of contribution.

TC² expects widespread fundraising participation from an assortment of sources - sports leagues, associations, teams, families and individuals. The “Get Turf” campaign will launch as soon as the website, collateral materials and donor programs are in place. The formula for success is

TC² = More Games, Greater Access, Less Weather Impact and Field Maintenance Savings.