Written by Members of the Facilities Committee, Bronxville Board of Education

Editor's note: MyhometownBronxville posed several questions to the Bronxville Board of Education about the January 22 referendum. Members of the board's facilities committee present responses on behalf of the board.

Jan. 14, 2015: Today we want to take a significant step forward. We have the opportunity to make new decisions that help us shape our future in a proactive, positive manner. To develop a new plan we have depended on the thoughtfulness, cooperation, and hard work of many. The community spirit that led Bronxville to start a school long ago now inspires our plans for flood mitigation and field reconfiguration. These plans are designed to protect and support our educational programs for many years to come.

Background

Over the past ten to twelve years, the district has seen a 17% increase in the number of students in K-12. During the same time the number of students participating in sports requiring field space has risen from 269 to 415, and the number of athletic teams has grown from 10 to 19. Our calculations show that Hayes Field currently is utilized at least 1,100 hours per year. The increasing demands on Hayes Field have taken their toll on it and it is often unplayable.

In researching our options to rehabilitate Hayes Field in connection with the flood mitigation project, it became clear that fields receiving more than 1,000 hours of use during a year at the absolute highest end (250 hours is preferred) are best served with a synthetic surface.

Although it is not a total solution to our field shortage issues, a synthetic field with an organic infill allows us much more flexibility to manage our school's recess and sports programs.

Off-Site Options

The board of education and administration have considered several off-site field spaces and met with several government administrators and other officials regarding those options, including Upper Scout Field, Alfredo Field, Concordia fields, and Haindl Field in Eastchester.

Each spot has its own set of issues. Upper Scout Field is divided between Yonkers, Mount Vernon, and Bronxville/Eastchester and owned by the county. Placing a full field there would require shifting wetlands with environmental impacts. Alfredo Field is low-lying, prone to flooding, and has size limitations. We currently have very limited access to Haindl field, and it does not appear that more field time can be obtained.

New York State education laws generally prohibit a school district from purchasing (including long-term leasing) real property outside the boundaries of the village/municipality. We will continue to explore any possible exemptions from these restrictions, but to date no exemptions with respect to these alternate locations are available.

Use of off-site fields requires busing students at a cost of approximately $350 per trip. Student athletes and the district would be better served if practices and games could be held on-site. In addition to generating less bus traffic and fumes, using our own fields allows us to better control the quality of the playing surfaces. Installation of a synthetic turf field along with an area of natural turf adjacent to the current playground increases available field hours, provides maximum flexibility, and enables us to maintain control of our own destiny in terms of our athletic and recreational programs.

Synthetic Turf Research

The board and administration, together with our architects and other professionals, have done substantial research on available synthetic turf systems and the latest scientific and technical data on alternative products. Synthetic fields are constructed with a grass material made mainly of monofilament yarn, together with infill, which is designed to give the turf cushion to lessen the chance of injury.

Currently, the most commonly used infill is crumb rubber--made by grinding up recycled tires. Following recent news reports related to crumb rubber infill, the board researched, examined, and considered the primary health and safety issues related to synthetic turf: 1) potential chemical exposure from the crumb rubber infill, 2) heat stress, and 3) injury.

Over the last ten years, numerous studies have been conducted on the safety of crumb rubber. Although these studies recognize that crumb rubber contains low levels of numerous elements potentially dangerous to humans, none of these studies has been able to demonstrate a direct health risk with exposure to such turf. In addition, the levels of these chemicals present in the crumb rubber are within safety guidelines.

Related to heat stress, synthetic turf does retain more heat than natural grass fields. However, the heat effect is generally not a concern in the Northeast. State regulations prohibit athletic contests and practices when the temperature exceeds 95 degrees.

The majority of recent studies have concluded that there is no statistical difference in injury rates sustained on a synthetic field vs. natural grass.

Alternative Infill Products

In addition to researching and examining the health and safety concerns of synthetic turf, the board researched alternative infill products. In response to concerns about crumb rubber expressed by parents and the community, the board determined that an organic infill would be a viable alternative to crumb rubber infill. The new Hayes Field will not contain crumb rubber.

Our primary consideration in considering any field is the health and wellbeing of our student population. We want to make sure that we provide the safest environment while we meet the needs of our students. As a result of our limited campus, increased school enrollment, and high levels of participation in athletics, we are struggling to meet demand. As a matter of policy, we want to maintain our philosophy of encouraging participation by all students in our athletic programs, offer our students a full complement of athletic teams, and remain competitive with area schools. We determined that the best way to accomplish that goal would be to install a synthetic turf field, which would provide much more flexibility and playability than natural grass.

Hayes Field is one of the most heavily utilized fields in the district for games, practices for numerous sports, including community-based youth programs, and recess. Given the current level of activity on the field, it is virtually impossible to maintain Hayes Field in good playing condition. Research indicates that synthetic turf provides, at a minimum, an increase of 50% or more of playable hours. In addition, synthetic turf provides a stable, predictable, resilient surface for practice and play.

The proposals placed before the voters next week reflect months of dialogue with all constituents--students, parents, teachers, and residents. Our listening has led to modifications in our plan, balancing concerns about cost, health and safety, aesthetics and natural beauty, optimal child development, and educational opportunity.

While not everyone agrees with every feature of the plan, the end result reconciles many different perspectives and has produced a plan that advances the greatest good for the greatest number. In the final analysis, community-wide support for a thoughtful, comprehensive plan is what makes Bronxville distinctive as a school and a village.

Landscaping

The district is committed to replacing the landscaping that is being lost due to the project; however, our work in this area will go well beyond the minimum. We will work with a landscape architect to create a professionally designed solution to the loss of existing landscaping. Twenty new trees, along with new shrubbery, will replace the ten trees that will be removed along Midland Avenue. On the Meadow Avenue side of the property adjacent to Hayes Field and the new 27-space parking lot and bus pickup/drop-off, about 28 new trees will be planted. The current version of the plan also includes a natural grass area adjacent to the current elementary school playground. Our goal is to ensure that a green aesthetic is maintained for the campus and for our community.

Costs

Costs for the flood mitigation project will total $6,889,905. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has provided a grant to cover 75% of this amount. The district and the village will split the other 25% equally, leaving the district with a cost of $861,238. The referendum asks voters to authorize selling tax-free bonds in this amount, which will require a modest tax increase.

The field reconfiguration project is estimated to cost at the highest amount, $2.2 million. The referendum asks the voters to authorize the district to use existing funds from its capital reserve to complete this project. There is neither new funding required nor a tax impact associated with this project.

The flood mitigation work offsets the cost of field reconfiguration by about $250,000. Those costs would be unnecessarily incurred at the time of any future field improvements.

Were the flood mitigation referendum not to pass, the school and its immediate neighbors would remain at the mercy of future flooding, with the resulting damage to property and interruption of school programs. Without voter approval, we would also lose the federal grant of $6.8 million that makes this project possible.

Were the Referendum Not to Pass

Were the referendum to reconfigure Hayes Field not to pass, Hayes Field would again be planted with grass, rendering the field unusable in the fall of 2015, and we would likely be unable to accommodate a full roster of teams. Longer term, we would continue to suffer the limitations of a substandard field and play space. Faced with these conditions, we might have to limit the number of students participating in the athletic programs. Moreover, student athletes would have to be transported out of district for practices and games.

The board of education created a "construction reserve" a few years ago and has carefully funded it to support program improvements such as the field reconfiguration. Withdrawal of monies from that reserve requires a public referendum. The referendum asks the public to approve the release of funds that have already been set aside for this purpose. The comprehensive field design itself represents the board's unanimous preference.

Pictured here: Map of the most recent configuration of Hayes Field by KG&D Architects, PC, and Syntax, provided courtesy Dr. David Quattrone, superintendent of the Bronxville schools.