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Board approves replacement of softball fields and synthetic turf at Gunn and Paly
Summary
Trustees approved two consent items to rebuild softball fields at Gunn and Palo Alto High School, including synthetic turf installations; staff said turf increases playability in rainy months and extends field use, with combined construction costs estimated at roughly $10 million and turf components about $1.36 million.
The Palo Alto Unified School District board voted May 13 to approve construction to replace softball fields at Gunn and Palo Alto High School and to install synthetic turf surfaces at both sites.
District staff explained the items (consent calendar items L and M) were pulled for discussion and then voted on separately. Eric Holm and other staff described reasons for choosing turf: improved playability during a season that includes rain through April, greater field availability without the recovery time natural grass requires, and long-term scheduling reliability for athletics.
Holm outlined the estimated costs for the two-site project: $4 million for Gunn construction and $6 million for Paly construction, with turf-specific costs of about $560,000 for Gunn and $800,000 for Paly (combined turf roughly $1.36 million). Board members discussed environmental and community concerns about turf vs. natural grass and noted an earlier property committee review.
After discussion the board moved and seconded a motion to approve items L and M; the chair called the vote and announced approval. No vote tallies with named board votes were recorded on the transcript.
What the vote means: The district will proceed with field reconstruction and turf installation; staff will coordinate the construction timeline and community outreach. The board acknowledged continuing community interest in grass vs. turf tradeoffs and said it would monitor long-term outcomes.
Note: The board discussed turf's maintenance and seasonal-play advantages; opponents of synthetic turf may cite environmental and heat-related concerns not resolved at the meeting.
