Carpet In The Lebanon School District Alumni Stadium's Future?

Lebanon Daily News
Written by John Latimer
October 11, 2005

Lebanon School District could roll out the carpet -- literally -- for future sports opponents under a proposal unveiled to the school board last night.

Athletic Director Dane Miller is seeking the board's permission to apply for a $550,000 grant from the United States Soccer Foundation that would be used to install a synthetic-turf playing surface at Alumni Stadium. Artificial turf would make it possible for football, soccer and field hockey games to be played on the field, Miller told the board. Now, only football and occasional soccer games are played in the stadium at Seventh and Church streets; most soccer and all field hockey games are played in the fields behind the high school at the south end of Eighth Street.

U.S. Soccer offers several grants to promote the growth of soccer, according to its Web site -- http://www.ussoccerfederation.org -- and has doled out $20 million in the past 10 years.

To be eligible to apply for a grant, Miller said, he first had to write a letter of inquiry to the organization. He did that, he said, and the reply was encouraging.

“The grants all had to include the criteria of developing the sport of soccer,”  Miller said.

The idea of expanding the district's athletic fields on property that was purchased last year across from the high school along Wilhelm Avenue has been discussed at previous school board meetings, but this was the first time that the notion of installing artificial turf at Alumni Stadium had been mentioned -- a fact that seemed to rankle board member Rose Marie Kotay.

“When or where was it decided that we needed a synthetic surface?” she asked.

Superintendent Marianne Bartley replied that she has had conversations with Miller, Robert Burke, the district's director of operations and maintenance, and others about problems with the current field.

“Over the past year, I have heard informal conversations from a variety of people-- from Dane, students and other folks -- that they want to look at (artificial turf),” she said.

The grass at Alumni Stadium has been a cause of concern over the years. The field was reseeded three years ago at a cost of more than $9,000 after several schools with which Lebanon competes stated they would not play at the stadium because of its poor field condition.

The idea of artificial turf had never been considered before, said Bartley, because it was simply too costly.

“But because we were sending out these letters (to U.S. Soccer) and got that note back, I think it would be smart for us to make application,” she said.

In addition to reducing the expense of maintaining a grass field -- which Miller said costs the district close to $40,000 a year -- an artificial surface would make the district a more attractive venue for neutral-site playoff games, which generate revenue. The life span of an artificial-turf playing surface is eight to 10 years, he said.

“Our stadium is fantastic,” he said. “It would be very attractive for lots of post-season activities; plus, it's maintenance free; plus, you are looking at every sport being able to use it, almost, as a competition field. When you are looking at the pros and cons, those are some very  big pros. The one con is the bottom line -- the cost. ... Basically, if we get this grant it would cover the entire cost.”

Kotay disputed the notion that the grass field prevents the district from hosting playoff games. To her recollection, she said, the big problem has always been inadequate lighting -- a shortcoming, she pointed out, that was addressed in the district's strategic plan.

“I have never heard, in all the years I've been here, that the reason we don't have an event is we don't have synthetic surface,” she said. “It was parking or it was lighting.”

The district must apply for the grant by the end of next month and should know by February if it receives one, Miller said.

There is no harm in applying, said board President Mike Kuhn, noting that Friday's night's game in the rain left the field a muddy mess.

“Whether we get playoff games or not is of secondary importance to me,” he said. “Of primary importance to me is making that field more versatile for use. ... I'm not sure I would endorse it completely, but I love the idea of exploring it.”

 The board is expected to vote at its meeting Monday on whether to give Miller its blessing to write the grant application.