Bethel vote advances artificial turf plan.

Byline: Anne Williams The Register-Guard

The Bethel School Board opened the door wider Monday to the possibility of a synthetic turf field at Willamette High School's Wolverine Stadium, approving a partnership with the city of Eugene to replace grass fields at two schools should voters pass a parks bond measure in November.

Even Greg Nelson, the board's staunchest fan of natural grass, went along with the unanimous vote - but only because it doesn't specify where the fields would go.

Perhaps, he speculated, the artificial field could be part of an entirely new sports complex at Willamette, thereby sparing Wolverine Stadium "an Astroturf thing with lines all over the place."

But other board members, including Chairman Keith Andersen, seemed at peace with the notion of forsaking natural grass, believing that the benefits of year-round, after-dark, all-weather play outweigh whatever drawbacks there may be.

"I would suggest we move forward with this because there is a lot to be gained," he said.

Some board members said they still have concerns about whether the district's needs for the fields would always be given top priority, and whether the city can guarantee to pay half the bill for replacements when the fields eventually wear out.

Communications Director Pat McGillivray said he believes that the city is open to negotiating those and whatever other points the district wants addressed.

Monday's vote simply authorizes the district to sit down and work on plans with the city, he explained.

"We are not tied to any agreement unless we sign on the bottom line, and that is a ways away," said McGillivray, one of several Bethel administrators who recently met with city officials to talk about the partnership.

Should the bond pass and an agreement be reached, installation probably would be scheduled for 2008 at the earliest.

The City Council agreed in May to place a $27.5 million parks bond issue on the November ballot, $5 million of which would be earmarked for artificial turf fields at two Bethel district schools - likely Willamette and Meadow View - and four Eugene district middle schools.

At two of those middle schools, the Eugene district isn't waiting for the outcome of the bond. Facilities Director Bill Hirsh said artificial turf fields will soon be installed at both Madison and Cal Young middle schools, whose old athletic fields were torn up to make way for new buildings. Should November's measure fail, the district will pick up the entire tab, he said.

Hirsh said officials have been "very pleased" with the synthetic turf fields installed at all four district high schools in 2000, although they periodically have to mend seams, replace fibers that seem to be popular nest-making materials for birds, and replenish the rubber granules that form the base.

He guesses they'll last at least the 10 years anticipated at the time of installation, and possibly longer.

"The amount of use we get, the quality of use and the care the community has for these has just been terrific," said Hirsh, who noted that the quality of today's synthetic turf is much improved.

"There's some cost that goes into this, but it's well worth it."