Possible Karlson Field upgrade leads to questions about community use

The show will go on, whether the field below the fireworks is
natural or synthetic.
It was rumored that the synthetic turf athletic field planned for
Analy High School would not be covered under warranty, if anything
but sporting events took place on it.
This caused concern with Kim Camp and other Kiwanis Club members,
because the high school track and field is the location of their
biggest annual fund-raiser, which is also a widely attended
community event.
The Kiwanis sponsored July 3rd fireworks show draws thousands of
people each year. That, combined with the fact that Camp’s children
have all gone through Analy High School, encouraged her to do some
homework.
“Initially I was concerned about how the Kiwanis July 3rd event and
other events such as Day on the Green and Relay for Life can
coexist with a synthetic field,” Camp said. “So I have been doing
research. … We were alarmed when we heard there may be a warranty
issue and this event might not be able to continue, but what we
found is there are things we can do,” she said.
Camp said she spoke to someone at FieldTurf Company, one of four
major synthetic turf installers, and was reassured the warranty
would not be jeopardized if an event such as the fireworks show
occurred on the field, but it would need to be professionally
cleaned and groomed by the manufacturer immediately following. The
estimated cost of a professional cleaning is between $1,500 and
$2,000, which the Kiwanis Club would incur, she said.
“In terms of working with the district, it’s been a common goal for
the Kiwanis July 3rd event to continue to happen. There are issues
and we need to mitigate them, and now we can,” Camp said.
The Analy Field Improvement project, which includes a synthetic
turf athletic field, a resurfaced track and improved bleachers, is
one of several priority projects on the West Sonoma County Union
High School District’s Facilities Master Plan.
The Facilities Master Plan identifies a wide variety of
improvements in buildings, fields and other facilities to
accomplish in the next 20 years. The school board is working to
identify projects to tackle in the near future using Measure I bond
funds approved by West County voters last November.
The need for new and improved bleachers, tracks and fields at Analy
and El Molino high schools and a desire to see remodeling done in
some of the classrooms and restrooms, among other issues, have been
addressed by students, teachers, school volunteers, community
members, representatives of community groups, etc.
A synthetic turf athletic field at Analy High School would cost $2
million, resurfacing the track $700,000, and replacing the
bleachers and press box on both sides of the field $1.9 million,
according to West Sonoma County Union High School District
Superintendent Keller McDonald.
At El Molino High School the cost would be the same for the field,
but the track would not need to be resurfaced and the bleachers
would only be located on one side of the field, at a cost of $1.2
million.
The bleachers at Analy High School, built in the 1950s, raise
safety concerns, because the wood on the bleachers is in poor
shape. Accessibility to the bleachers for disabled students and
some community members is also very difficult.
Replacing the grass fields with synthetic turf would save the
district significant maintenance costs by eliminating the need for
regularly reseeding the fields, and mowing, fertilizing and lining
them for sporting events. Environmental benefits include no
applications of fertilizers and considerable water savings.
The soonest the synthetic fields would be installed is sometime in
2013.
Asked if the district would allow the annual fireworks show to go
on once Analy’s field is converted, McDonald said: “It sounds like
we can find a solution that will allow the Kiwanis to continue to
use Carlson field for July 4th fireworks that will be beneficial
for both the school and the community. … I appreciate Kim and the
Kiwanis working with the district to research continued community
use of the field.”