Ideas Exchange begins community conversation, provides answers on field project

Yes, grass surfaces may be included in the next proposition to rebuild the fields at Red Hook High School and Linden Avenue Middle School.

No, a school district cannot create a ballot in which voters can choose between grass and artificial turf field options.

Yes, an artificial field would be recycled at the end of its lifespan.

No, it would not be a viable plan to resurface one field with grass while leaving the others untouched.

These were just some of the topics covered Monday evening at the Red Hook Central School District’s Ideas Exchange, regarding its next athletic field proposition.

Many of the questions asked by the roughly 50 attendees were able to be answered by district officials, in some cases dispelling misunderstandings regarding possible next steps with the field reconstruction planning. Other questions and comments were not as easily addressed and have prompted more research into the answers.

That was the idea of the event, which included attendees discussing their concerns with the fields in groups of roughly 10 people each. The Ideas Exchange was the formal beginning of district officials’ effort to involve the community in the decision-making process before another proposition is put in front of voters in the fall. The next step in that process occurs on July 10, when the Board of Education will meet for its reorganization meeting.

“We appreciate so many residents and members of the district community taking the time to meet with us Monday,” said Dr. Janet Warden, superintendent of schools. “Engaging the community is crucial to coming to a solution that will be in the best interest and safety of our students. We greatly value the opinions that were shared, especially regarding the environmental concerns tied to the plans, how a field project may impact taxes, and what we can do to better inform voters.”

Attendees were given the chance to walk onto the fields and feel for themselves the compact, uneven dirt. Officials made clear, the district’s goal is simply to improve the safety and accessibility of its field at the high and middle schools, regardless of how that happens, installing turf or grass.

The small discussion groups provided a chance for residents to ask questions and to share their reasoning for voting for or against the last capital improvement proposition in May. That proposition included a list of projects largely focused on improving the safety and accessibility of facilities, one of which was installing an artificial multipurpose educational field.

Each project will be proposed again in a referendum vote in the fall.

Many of the questions and comments regarded the science behind turf and its possible adverse environmental impacts, and some attendees requested the district provide experts to speak directly to residents at a future meeting. Warden assured attendees that is one of the goals for the July 10 meeting. Officials also stated any future proposition regarding a turf field would include verbiage stating environmentally friendly parameters that would need to be followed.  

The amount of time each field could be used, how it differs for grass and artificial surfaces, and how the district could better preserve the fields after the repair project, was another high-interest topic.

Athletic Director Tom Cassata was on hand to explain a turf field would be able to be used from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day by 17 interscholastic teams and all physical education classes in grades 6-12. While no singular grass field could handle such daily traffic, the district would rotate use of the six fields on the property to give each time for rest, and some teams would continue using the side fields rather than the main track and field complex.

Attendees were encouraged to share with their friends and neighbors not in attendance what they had learned and that the district is looking for continued feedback and input. As the district continues to hear opinions and concerns from residents, information to address any questions will be published on the district’s website and social media channels.

Questions can always be emailed to district spokesperson Mike Benischek at mbenischek@rhcsd.org.