District 87 open to change from real to fake grass

The fresh smell of newly-mown grass, the muddy puddles after a rainstorm, the kneecap grass stains after a tumble.

All of those could be headed for the history books when it comes to the playing fields across Glenbard High School District 87. The school board's looking at creative options for replacing all the fields with synthetic grass.

"What we're looking for is partnerships for the school district with other government agencies, private citizens, and groups," board President David Brown said.

The board approved a resolution this week allowing the district to pursue partnerships for new fields at each of its four schools using the Partnership for Educational Progress foundation to channel the funds.

Outside groups would come up with two-thirds of the money necessary, the district the final third.

Each synthetic field is estimated to cost a minimum of $1.2 million.

A highly organized group of parents calling themselves Gain Ground at West began looking at the issue two years ago exploring options, meeting with architects and laying extensive groundwork for plans to replace the current sodded field with two lighted synthetic turf fields. They even brought famed Chicago White Sox groundskeeper Roger Bossard to the Glen Ellyn School to evaluate their plans.

When they were ready, they presented their suggestions to the district.

Officials, though, said they are cognizant any beneficial changes available to one school are available to all buildings, Superintendent Mike Meissen said.

The proposal the board adopted sets out a template all four schools can follow, even though some - like Glenbard West - are markedly farther along in planning than others.

But why synthetic grass instead of the real deal? The ability to use it more frequently, lower maintenance costs and greater flexibility, Brown explained.

Particularly at West, space is an issue with only nine acres of space. The other three buildings each have about 25 acres of land surrounding the school so more teams can use them.

Almost every day at West, though, teams are bused off campus to other fields because there simply isn't room at the school for them to practice or compete.

With fields that are available all day every day, more than simply the football team would be allowed to use Duchon Field. And when the school isn't using it, the park district and the community could have access.

Brown said that with a synthetic field, gym classes could use it during the day, and multiple teams could use it for practice throughout the year.

The notion is not without precedent. When Barrington High School rebuilt its entire football stadium, a group called Friends of the Stadium raised more than $1 million to pay for the synthetic turf, scoreboard and restrooms. Voters approved a tax hike to pay for the remainder.

District 87 has no set time frame for moving forward with the fields. It will be up to the schools and plans that develop at each one.