Lights at Glenbard West a bad idea

We live about three blocks west of Glenbard West High School on Hawthorne. After attending recent meetings hosted by Glenbard High School District 87, we were appalled to learn of the plan to install artificial turf and lights at Duchon Field and Memorial Park.

The basic premise of this entire plan should be based on common sense. First of all, common sense should have dictated that anyone supporting the proposal should have contacted all the households adjacent to or in the immediate surrounding areas near the two fields in question before making any presentation to District 87. Secondly, and equally important, common sense should have told the people who are promoting the aforementioned changes that the installation of artificial turf and lights with a most probable sound system to follow, would be a gross imposition on area residents as well as drastically affecting the ambience of Lake Ellyn Park and our hilltop high school, both of which are regarded as pristine jewels. We are totally against the installation of turf and lights on either field. We are also very concerned about any detrimental effects of artificial turf and how it may affect the health of our sports teams as well as the possibility of leaching dangerous chemicals into Lake Ellyn, the DuPage River or other nearby ponds. Let's protect Lake Ellyn Park, Duchon Field and Memorial Park. It's nobody's fault that Glenbard West High School and Memorial Park just happen to be located in a beautiful, landlocked residential neighborhood and not adjacent to cornfields as are many of our newer high schools, thus offering room to expand and light fields without affecting surrounding homes.

Lee and Judy Marks

Glen Ellyn