Fields clear last hurdle

Cheers greet vote for South project

Newton South High School athletes and parents erupted in cheers this week after the Board of Aldermen approved a $4.8 million proposal to install four new athletic fields - two made of natural grass and two of synthetic turf.

The aldermen's chamber at City Hall overflowed Monday night with parents and athletes who have long been frustrated with the existing fields' drainage problems, which have forced teams to practice indoors and late into the night and play games away from the school.

Aldermen approved using $1.6 million from the city's capital stabilization fund, and borrowing the remaining $3.2 million for the fields, by a vote of 20 to 4, with members Ted Hess- Mahan, Anthony Salvucci, Amy Sangiolo, and Greer Tan Swiston in opposition. The board approved setting aside $500,000 from the capital stabilizaton fund for maintaining the fields by a vote of 23 to 1, with Sangiolo opposing it.

The proposal to install synthetic turf fields at Newton South was first brought before aldermen about three years ago, and went through numerous changes after aldermen and residents raised concerns about potential environmental and health and safety impacts of synthetic turf.

Opponents cited possible lead content in the material used in the artificial surface, as well as the environmental impact and cost of disposal at the end of their 10- to 15-year life span.

"We're very excited," said Newton South lacrosse coach David McCullum, who coached on synthetic fields at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School. "It's a great advantage to have for your program. They're just fantastically useful."

The fields are expected to be ready for play by next fall, aldermen said.

Several aldermen said their concerns about lead receded after a study by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission was released in July. In a memo to the board last week, Mayor David Cohen said the study's evaluation "concludes that there is no risk from exposure to lead in new synthetic turf fields."

But others were not persuaded by the report's findings.

Hess-Mahan said he would have supported the proposal if the product being used as fill for the playing fields were not made of crumb rubber.

"I support having these fields," Hess-Mahan said. "I don't support installing a product that involves known carcinogenics."

Hess-Mahan said there are natural alternatives that would be more expensive, but could be used if the city installed only one synthetic turf field. Several aldermen said they would also have preferred having just one synthetic turf field, but supported the proposal because they felt the issue had dragged on long enough and the high school is in dire need of new fields.

"While I would have preferred a one-field solution using the best material possible," said Alderman Stephen Linsky, "it is time to move on."

Alderwoman Sydra Shnipper called the approval "long overdue," and said the board has done its "due diligence and come up with the best combination of plans. The standard right now is to consider turf."

Some members of the Newton South track team said they didn't care whether the fields and track are artificial or natural, just that they are usable.

"It's just appalling they let it go this long," said John Beck, a 17-year-old senior who runs on the track team. "As long as it gets fixed and the fields are usable, any solution is OK."

In a statement Tuesday, the mayor said he was pleased with the vote.

"With the installation of these synthetic fields, we will ensure their maximum use and safety while reducing operational costs," Cohen wrote.

Rachana Rathi can be reached at rrathi@globe.com.