B.B. residents pack library to hear district’s field goals
March 21, 2024 at 12:47 a.m.
The Blind Brook School District was left scrambling following the revelation that both its multipurpose and baseball fields had to be closed after both failed impact tests in early March.
Short-term plans were made to move various spring sporting activities to other venues, but drafting a long-term plan with tangible solutions to either repair or replace the fields needed more consideration.
A special meeting was held by the Board of Education to publicly discuss what will be done on Monday, Mar. 18, with details provided by representatives from BBS Architects.
Around 70 members of the community flocked to the Blind Brook Middle/High School library, where board meetings are typically held, to see what the district plans on doing.
Board President Jeffrey Mensch didn’t keep them waiting long.
“Our current plan is to expeditiously replace our football/soccer/lacrosse field and begin planning a larger project that will deal with the baseball field, track, accessories to those fields and other capital needs,” he said shortly after the start of the meeting.
That timetable would see the multipurpose field replaced prior to the start of the 2024-25 school year, with the second phase ideally being completed in September 2025. Exact details, like what field material will be used and specific cost, were light, but options and estimates were presented by BBS Architects Senior Associate John Longo to begin the process.
The multipurpose field, if replaced with an EPDM rubber infill, would cost the district an estimated $895,000. Mensch said the board would need to vote to use the capital reserve fund to pay for the project—which means time is of the essence, as it’ll be a process to get the ball rolling.
According to Laurie Baum, the Blind Brook assistant superintendent of finance and facilities, that fund currently has $532,000 in it. “We are exploring additional options to fund the balance of the funds needed,” she wrote in an email.
The baseball field, along with track, fences, retaining wall and other related equipment would cost $3.31 million. Alternative funding outside of the budget would be needed. Though not guaranteed, the plan may rely on a bond referendum, which could be coming in October.
No one person to blame
The results of the gMax impact tests, which determined how well the turf fields can absorb collisions, were presented by Longo.
“There were exceedances which are over the maximum of 200g’s, which is the criteria for serious head injury,” he said. While each field had points that tested above that threshold, both had a too-close-for-comfort average of over 190g’s. The high average is a point of concern, he added, as degraded turf isn’t static—it shifts in use and moves throughout the playing area.
The state of the fields leaves the district with no choice but to replace them entirely.
At the start of the meeting, Mensch said any questions regarding how the fields reached this point wouldn’t be answered. As throughout the 17 years they’ve been used various board members and administrators have passed through the district, he felt digression into talks of responsibility would be unproductive.
Synthetic turf fields, like those seen at Blind Brook, have an estimated lifespan of 10 to 12 years, if properly maintained and serviced. The current fields are five years past their life expectancy and appear to have seen little to no maintenance.
“While you’re welcome to ask questions related to this topic, the current board has no answers to these questions,” he said.
However, many of the 10 Blind Brook School District residents who spoke expressed frustration, wondering why the fields weren’t cared for during their use.
“I don’t think that over my time here as a Blind Brook athlete, the field was necessarily in good condition,” Seth Low, a senior who plays lacrosse, said. “I’ve had parents, players, opposing teams and coaches tell us how unsafe the field was.”
Other athletes, including Michael Berman-Annunziata, were confused as to why the field was just recently tested, as they have witnessed its poor condition during their time as student athletes.
While several people wanted to find someone to hold accountable, it would be difficult to do so considering the depth of Blind Brook’s personnel fluctuations since the fields were built.
Athletic Director Kimberly Saxton is the sixth person to hold her position since 2006, while Superintendent Colin Byrne’s position saw the same number of shifts in that time period.
Justin Carey, a Blind Brook parent, said the district should take on a field and grounds supervisor. “It’s something that I think we need to make a dedicated part of our district and our budget,” he said.
“I believe we put (a grounds supervisor) in last year’s budget,” Mensch responded. “And for a reminder for those that don’t remember, our budget was voted down. We needed to cut things from the budget and that got cut to get the vote passed.”
Options on the table
When the fields were first taken out of commission, Byrne stated he was hopeful a repair could be done to buy the district time. However, Longo said that is not a viable option.
“There’s no way to seamlessly blend the infill of new turf into the old turf,” he explained. Additionally, more turf would create height variations which could cause a tripping hazard for anyone using it.
Longo recommended replacing the field with some form of synthetic turf, as the material is a better fit for the district’s needs. As for what exact material would be used, he offered a wide variety of options to the board.
A variety of inorganic rubbers, either recycled or manufactured, sands and organic infills made of coconut or olive pits were presented for the board to see and feel. Longo also brought along a sample of a shock pad, which is laid under the field to provide additional impact absorption, though it comes at an added price of $1 per square foot. If used, the football field would see a $75,000 upcharge, while the baseball field cost would spike $100,000.
Trustee Katherine Hallissy Ayala brought up her concerns regarding the synthetic material, citing professional athletes’ preference for grass. “The game at an NFL level is a lot different than at a youth level,” Longo responded. “But I encourage everyone to do their own research because there’s a lot out there.”
Mensch asked if any district has replaced their turf field with grass, to which Longo responded with a resolute no.
Sari Sakofsky, a parent of two Ridge Street Elementary School students, expressed her desire for the district to select an organic infill.
“I’m not advocating for natural grass, but merely the safest turf infill available to us,” she said during her allotted public comment time. She cited a University of Massachusetts study, which concluded that certain turf infills can contain elevated levels of chemicals that may be unsafe.
“Organic infills, like coconut and cork, have been thoughtfully selected and installed by other school districts, including Pleasantville, Irvington and Bronxville,” she said.
What now?
In the interim, all events previously scheduled to take place on the fields have been adjusted. Saxton has found alternative spaces for the spring sports to be played on. The lacrosse teams will use the Rye Brook Athletic Fields, the softball teams will do the same and also venture to Pine Ridge Park, while the baseball team’s new temporary home is Joseph Curtis Recreation Park in Port Chester.
Byrne said all other school events, such as Blind Brook High School’s graduation ceremony, will be relocated. The school’s seniors will now be hosted in the SUNY Purchase College theater, the venue used by the district prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s a very nice ceremony, you’ll be very happy with it, I promise,” Byrne said.
Information on other events will be released over time.
On Apr. 2, the board plans to approve a preliminary budget for the football field replacement.
The larger project will continue to develop into the next school year, with the board hoping to have a plan finalized in September.
Mensch encouraged the public to provide their feedback on the subject by emailing him at [email protected], but urged them to do so quickly.
“Time is really tight,” he said.
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