Tarkett Co. graphic used in 2014 report about Peirce Turf.
Linda Hanson, a Precinct 9 Town Meeting member, wrote this column about moving forward on artificial turf. She thanks Christa Kelleher, a Precinct 5 meeting member, for her contributions.
I am sharing an edited version of remarks given to the recently concluded Town Meeting on Article 12, a proposal to institute a temporary moratorium on the installation of artificial turf on town land pending the findings of an Artificial Turf Study Committee to investigate artificial turf in regards to its safety, environmental impact and cost effectiveness, as well as the available natural alternatives to its use.
This was one of the most contentious debates during this Town Meeting, and I’d like to offer some thoughts about how we can move forward on the important issues raised during this discussion.
I have close personal experience with the issue of field adequacy and availability. I coached boys' soccer for 13 years in the “all grass era,” so I know firsthand what it's like to vie for limited practice space and attempt to reschedule games with limited options due to weather cancellations. It was challenging, to say the least.
