Westfield Turf Debate Continues: Pro Field Manager Weighs In

WESTFIELD, NJ — With many residents debating over a proposed $9 million project to install synthetic turf fields at Edison Intermediate School, a professional field manager weighed in on the issue at a virtual presentation last week.

Scott Bills, a certified sports field manager and the owner of Sports Fields Solutions, LLC, gave a Zoom presentation, hosted by Citizens for Responsible Athletic Field Development, to Westfield residents on Thursday. He spoke about the advantages and disadvantages of both natural grass fields and synthetic turf, as well as offered his opinion on the Edison Field Project.

Bills has been evaluating and making recommendations for improvements in safety, playability and appearance for hundreds of sports fields managers throughout New Jersey and across the country for 35 years. He also teaches at Rutgers University.

The Edison Fields Project was first proposed in June of 2021 and estimates it will cost $9 million to build three new turf fields at the Intermediate School. The project involves creating multi-use fields for soccer, lacrosse, baseball, field hockey, football, the band and other uses.

Read more about the project's details here.

Natural Grass Fields vs. Synthetic Fields

In comparing natural grass to synthetic fields, Bills said they both have pros and cons. Some advantages of natural grass include environmental benefits, heat absorption, a softer surface, cheaper to renovate and it can absorb water when properly maintained.

However, Bills said natural grass has high yearly maintenance costs, requires a skilled turf manager, can affect people with allergies to grass and is unappealing and hazardous when not well-maintained.

On the other hand, synthetic fields can be more visually appealing because they are always green, they save water, they are modern and consistent, less expensive to maintain, have a lower risk of injury over poorly-maintained grass fields and they can reduce the risk of erosion.

The down side of synthetic fields, according to Bills, is that they still require maintenance over time, they tend to be overused, they do not absorb heat, they contain potentially harmful chemicals and they can emit odors because of the plastic and crumb rubber it uses.

Health Concerns

Some residents have expressed concerns over the health risks associated with the chemicals used in turf, such as certain metals and carcinogens, but evidence on this issue is largely inconclusive, according to the NJ Department of Health.

When asked a question relating to health concerns, Bills said he had not seen any studies showing that ingesting particles from the rubber in turf caused any sort of health problems for children.

Title IX

Bills explained that one of the reasons why so many synthetic fields are being built recently is because of a Title IX law that requires school districts to allow both boys and girls to have the same number of playing hours on an athletic field.

One of the benefits of turf fields is that they can be used all year round, whereas natural grass fields cannot be used in the winter months — mainly November to February. This is because synthetic turf absorbs water better than natural grass does.

Bills said a synthetic field solves a lot of problems for an athletic director because it allows for more playing time for different teams due to the fact that these fields are more available in the winter months.

The Cost

Overall, Bills argued that natural grass fields are much less expensive over a 10 year life cycle.

Although natural grass fields require more maintenance and higher maintenance fees, Bills explained that the construction involved with synthetic fields is much more expensive than it would be to maintain a grass field.

Over a 10 year life cycle, which includes replacement and maintenance fees, Bills estimated that the Edison Field Project would cost around $2,310,000 if it used natural grass, whereas with synthetic turf it would cost around $7,122,500.

One resident asked why the Edison Field Project is estimated to cost $9 million when Bills estimated a much lower number.

"That’s a great question," Bills responded. "When you find out that answer can you please let me know? The math doesn’t make sense to me."

Besides the three turf fields, the Edison Project involves building one natural grass baseball field (not lit) and prefabricated restroom facilities, which may add to the overall cost.

Final Thoughts

Bills summed up by saying that although synthetic turf would provide more usable hours throughout the year, the investment in and lifecycle cost of natural grass fields are significantly lower compared to synthetic turf.

He also said that he disagrees with the idea that fields cannot be maintained properly to withstand current usage.

“The town of Westfield is going to have natural fields, whether this project is built or not, and unless you’re going to make the entire town synthetic, at some point the Board of Education needs to learn how to maintain natural grass fields," Bills said.

In many towns and school districts, Bills said administrators do not know how to properly maintain grass fields, and often the simple solution is to just build a synthetic field.

Bills emphasized that it is vital that the Westfield Schools have a well-trained and educated field manager that can assess the fields in order to maintain them. He said maintaining athletic fields is a proactive process, not reactive.

To watch the entire presentation, visit this Zoom link to view the recording.

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To learn more about Westfield's Edison Field Project, visit the town's website.

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