Nantucket workshop pits grass, turf and track options against each other as committee seeks path to town meeting

Members of the Nantucket School Committee and dozens of parents, coaches and students met in a Nov. 6 workshop to review proposed renovations to Capizzo Stadium and the school’s athletic fields, a project estimated at roughly $20 million to $23 million depending on surfaces chosen.

The committee’s presentation and the public comment that followed centered on three options: the currently detailed design of a natural grass field with an asphalt running track; a natural grass field with a synthetic (polyurethane/EPDM) track; or a fully synthetic turf field paired with a synthetic track. SMRT, the project architect, said Option 1 (grass + asphalt track) is the only option currently at construction‑document level; Options 2 and 3 were presented conceptually for comparison.

Why it matters: Nantucket teams, coaches and families said current field conditions and limited capacity are constraining student participation, producing safety concerns and forcing teams to travel off island for practices and competitions. Supporters of synthetic surfaces argued turf and synthetic tracks can sustain far more hours of play (SMRT’s presentation cited 2,000–3,000 hours/year for turf versus 200–600 hours/year for a high‑performance grass field) and reduce pressure on multiple island fields. Opponents raised environmental and health concerns — especially the potential for PFAS and microplastic migration — and questioned long‑term lifecycle and recyclability costs.

"Please reject this misguided master plan and choose options that truly protect our…