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White Rock resident urges board to oppose AstroTurf on local fields
Summary
During public comment at the May 15 meeting, White Rock resident Mike Dempsey urged the Environmental Sustainability Board to oppose the installation of artificial turf on several White Rock ball fields, citing ecological loss and neighborhood impacts.
During the public-comment period of the May 15 Environmental Sustainability Board meeting, Mike Dempsey, a White Rock resident, urged the board to oppose planned AstroTurf installations on multiple White Rock ball fields.
Dempsey said the turf installation would remove “4 or 5 acres of grass that turns carbon dioxide into oxygen and enriches the soil” and described the change as “not ecological.” He specifically mentioned Dara Field and the Little League field in Overlook Park as well-maintained natural grass areas he did not want replaced. He added concerns about community use, saying the stated justification — allowing softball or baseball teams to practice earlier — did not justify replacing natural turf.
Dempsey also noted personal and community impacts: his dog dislikes artificial turf and he questioned the long-term sustainability of synthetic surfaces, saying “you’re gonna have to rip it out sometime.” He concluded by announcing he would attend a separate meeting about the AstroTurf plans.
The board did not respond with a substantive action on the AstroTurf during the meeting; the comment was recorded as part of the public-comment period. No formal staff report, cost estimate, environmental review or vote on the turf installation was presented in this meeting record.
Ending: The transcript records Dempsey’s public-comment remarks; board members did not take action on the item during the May 15 meeting, and any follow-up would depend on the separate project process and staff briefings not covered in this transcript.
