The Parks Advisory Board met on May 6, 2014. There were three residents who spoke against the artificial turf at Middle and Wildcat Fields. Chairman Hugh Beal changed the order of the agenda so that new business, specifically artificial turf at Middle and Wildcat Fields, could be discussed immediately after Citizen Comments.
During the meeting, the Parks Advisory Board decided to draft a letter to the Commission to express concerns related to the pending field turf project on Cedar Blvd.
The video has been uploaded on the municipal website and may be viewed here. The letter is read at the 01:16:28. Here it is in written form:
The Parks Advisory Board is writing the commissioners to express concerns related to the pending field-turf project being pursued by Mt. Lebanon on Cedar Boulevard.
Although athletic fields are not strictly under the purview of the Parks Advisory Board, we are concerned about potential negative impacts of this project on nearby parks and recreation areas, and the nuisances presented to adjacent recreational open space. These concerns have also been voiced by citizens who have presented at PAB and Commission meetings.
Specifically, the PAB is concerned about:
1. The use of crumb-rubber infill, which contains hazardous materials, including heavy metals such as lead, zinc and chromium. In addition, gases that are emitted by the decomposing rubber infill are known to aggravate respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD. This will prevent vulnerable residents from accessing these fields and nearby park space.
2. The potential to increase storm water runoff due to the impervious cover used in the construction of this field. The resulting storm water may overwhelm the downstream Robb Hollow Park area and exacerbate Cedar Boulevard flooding events, further disturbing Cedar Boulevard residents. In addition, this storm water may carry with it the infill (and hazardous materials) and biocides/chemicals used to maintain the fields.
3. Artificial-turf fields are known heat islands, which may have spillover effects on other adjacent park and recreational areas, including the tennis facility and swimming pool area.
Therefore, the PAB advises that:Thank you, Parks Advisory Board for reviewing your mission statement, for advocating for our parks, for listening to residents, and for protecting our precious resources.
1. The municipality should request that entities bidding on this project be asked to address these concerns directly.
2. The municipality should reconsider the use of crumb-rubber infill and ensure that the fields will not exacerbate stormwater problems in the Robb Hollow watershed area.
Please sign this petition if you want to halt public funds for use of artificial turf at Wildcat and Middle Fields.
40 comments:
Mr. Franklin's timing to miss a meeting was most unfortunate.
So, the PAB and ESB have pushed back. Most likely others will, too. When will the Commission understand that their turf plan doesn't have support other then the SAB and come to their senses?
Dave Brumfield... My son plays lacrosse SO we'll build him his turf field! My daughter swims and I've gotten her a new indoor and outdoor pool so it's my son's turn! Get over it! I won the election.
"...and the wise boy [girl] who will become the wise man[woman], tries to understand and to see the truth in ideas with which he does not agree."
— Annie Besant
We shall see if the commissioners are mature men and women or impertinent, spoiled, little children that must get their way.
That they understand they were elected to office to represent their constituents not lord over them.
I wonder if our school directors and administrators... the people that teach our kids to plant trees, to respect the environment, to save the world for future generations... will sit on their thumbs or will they send the commissioners the same message as the ESB and Parks Advisory Board.
I suspect not, since they are the people that bought Michael Mann's flawed book on global warming, believed MTL parents needed to learn about energy efficient light bulb from their kids and think soccer moms are to stupid to figure out whether to turn off their idling cars or not.
I'm betting they won't say a damn word.
Interesting that one PAB member referenced a Yale expert that advises against children playing on turfed fields.
Don't we have a school board director that places great stock in a Yale education?
Will they heed the Yale professor's advice and speak out or at least not commit the district to artificial turf?
Seems they are on the Blue Devil horns of a deliema.
Considering that school board liaison on the ESB is Elaine Cappucci and never gave the ESB a heads up about turfing the Rock Pile in 2016, that would be a safe bet, 7:04 AM.
Here is an interesting response Charlotte Stephenson received from President Linfante:
"Please keep in mind, if you are currently concerned about being near crumb rubber, that Main Park's Martha's Playground contains the same type of rubber product, as well as other playgrounds in Mt Lebanon.
Best regards,
Kristen Linfante
Sent from my iPhone
Please forgive any texting typos"
Elaine
The Parks Advisory Board is to be applauded for taking stand.
I'm not sure though why it was debatable that they have a vested interest in doing so.
Allegheny County has a number of parks, South and North major ones.
These parks contain sports fields, gold courses, walking trails, pavillions, game reserves etc, but in the end they are parks.
Why we separate parks and recreation baffles me.
Maybe this is another Home Rule Charter revision?
Ms. Linfante, are you suggesting to Ms. Stephenson that because crumb rubber exist in other locations that makes it safe?!
Plus,can you really compare a small playground area with a sports field where athletes breathing and heart rates are extremely elevated, they come into extremely cose contact with the crumb rubber.
What ludicrous argument, but now that you've brought it up commissioner, maybe we need to reexamine our playground surfaces.
I believe NYC has suspended crumb rubber use in its playgrounds.
http://www.healthyschools.org/HSNPlaygrdGuide.pdf
See page 4 of 6 concerning playground surfaces in NYC and California in the above pdf link, Ms. Linfante.
I see the day where we will have fundraisers to remove toxic turf from playgrounds, while there are fundraisers to add toxic turf to fields. Makes sense to me.
Elaine
“towns need to be aware that the fields are not permanent and disposing of them could potentially be a financial and environmental headache in the future”.
http://wardstreetgrassroots.com/issues/crumb-rubber-health-problems/
There is a question posed as a title to a Lebomag article on Mothers Day.
It ask: "What did she give you?"
In Linfante's case-- it'll be artificial turf and all the negative implications from using it.
Hey, she's just a mom, right Ms. Labalme?
I really don't even know where to begin. First, Kristen's argument is ludicrous. We now know that this surface is hazardous so we should remove it from our playgrounds and never use this surface anywhere in our township ever again.
A good point was made about the school district keeping silent on this subject. They should weigh in with their opinion so the community knows where they stand on the issue.
Lastly, lets get the opinions of the students at the high school. They were quick to share their views on the Devil's Advocate article. I'd like to hear their take on this issue. I would be extremely interested in hearing from any students who are following this and would like to share their opinions with the Mt. Lebanon community. This is the "green" generation and they have been learning how to be good stewards of the environment since their elementary days and continuing on in the mandatory environmental geoscience classes which are taught at the high school. Surely they cannot be in favor of this hideous, toxic, plastic turf being installed where there is now beautiful, natural green grass and the trees that border the fields that are to be destroyed. The thought of that happening feels me with despair. This is truly a crime against the environment that we must all put a stop to. Please, students, now is the time to speak up! We don't have any time to waste.
Yep, the Markham students are pushed to plant a tree for the Love of Mother Nature.
Then they go home and find out their parents are advocating for tearing up grass and chopping down trees!
Are you learning yet, kids?
What about the teachers' union.
They been pushing the "Green" agenda through textbook purchases, glassroom instruction/lectures and supporting politicians like Al Gore, Barack Obama, etc, how can they conciously stand idly by and say nothing?
Remember teachers, you claim it is "all for the kids!"
So after, years and years of indoctrinating our children on environmental issues, you're going to sit by and say nothing! What an education.
Nobody is asking you for money, nobody is asking you to go on strike or give up your precious new building.
All we want is for you to teach our commissioners what you've been teaching our children!
Main Park does not have a CRUMB RUBBER surface. There may be rubber in that surface that is hazardous but it is not CRUMB.
The Parks Advisory Board has been misled. Just because the commissioners in their efforts to turf say the fields are not part of parks, does not mean they should believe it or agree with it.
A field is GRASS, a field is OPEN, a field is NATURE, a field is an ecosystem, a field provides RECREATION, a field is a PARK.
My child came home from school a few weeks ago with a Scholastic Newsletter that had a picture of a field covered in tires and then the newsletter went on to discuss pollution, etc.
I'm really disappointed in Mt Lebanon.
Here is what I don't understand--these posts get sometimes hundreds of comments - are they all the same person posting over and over? The petition has what 50 names? If you care about this, do more than post here. Sign the petition. Get a yard sign. Go to the commissioners meeting this coming Tuesday. Do something besides post anonymous comments on a blog.
Now we are blaming teachers for a municipal issue?? We have no one to blame but ourselves.
10:55 AM, the PAB never said there is crumb rubber in the park. Please reread what has been written. Kristen Linfante said, "Please keep in mind, if you are currently concerned about being near crumb rubber, that Main Park's Martha's Playground contains the same type of rubber product, as well as other playgrounds in Mt Lebanon."
They are being misled about fields not being part of parks.
Elaine
Good point!
A dictionary definition of a park.
Main Entry: 1park
Pronunciation: \ˈpärk\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latinparricus, from pre-L *parra pole, trellis
Date: 13th century
1 a : an enclosed piece of ground stocked with game and held by royal prescription or grant b : a tract of land that often includes lawns, woodland, and pasture attached to a country house and is used as a game preserve and for recreation 2 a : a piece of ground in or near a city or town kept for ornament and recreation b : an area maintained in its natural state as a public property3 a : a space occupied by military vehicles, materials, or animals b :parking lot 4 : an enclosed arena or stadium used especially for ball games 5 : an area designed for a specified type of use (as industrial, commercial, or residential use)
— park·like \ˈpärk-ˌlīk\ adjective
Make note of "2 a : a piece of ground in or near a city or town kept for ornament and recreation"
A ballfield is a recreational facility so it meets the definition. You'd think with all the legal beagles in this town, one of them would have pointed out that the Parks Advisory Board and the Sports Advisory Board are redundant!
11:00 don't you dare try to misconstrue the comment directed at the teachers!!!!!
No one blamed the teachers for this municipal issue.
The call is for the teachers to stand up and practice what they are preaching to our kids.
Our kids are beseiged with educational literature telling them to be green, save the environment, plant trees, don't fill landfills and when it comes time to show them the way, to really educate kids on what they'll need to do as occupants of this earth... the teachers say nothing.
Thought it was all for the kids?
As one PAB member pointed out, every other town has Parks and Recreation. There is a TV show with that name!
You know, people have stuck their necks out over this issue. Dave Brumfield will have the last laugh. Talk is cheap. Everyone has an excuse. Maybe the person who commented that I have a lonely and pathetic life because all that I have to discuss is turf and assessments, is correct. Daves, I bet that made your day.
Elaine
Omigod. Please calm down. I just think it is ridiculous to call out the teachers to do something about this - WE have to do something about this. Most of them probably don't have a clue that this is going on. Not all of them even live here and most residents don't know this is happening so we ALL need to speak up. The teachers have nothing to do with this field.
Thank you, 11:21 AM. Are you interested in a sign?
Elaine
Once again the commissioners words come back to bite them.
Make note of "2 a : a piece of ground in or near a city or town kept for ornament and recreation"
If a "crown jewel" field isn't an ornanmental piece of ground -- what is?
11:21, is the school district going to spend tax dollars, commit staff to field maintenance and subject students to games on the turf?
I'm not going to play on the field, I don't live down stream from its run off, by your logic I don't need to be involved either.
When they get their turf at WC/M, then come for turfing the Rock Pile, will it be time to ask the teachers to get involved?
The Mt. Lebanon Zoning Ordinance classifies a Park that contains recreational features, like playgrounds, athletic fields as OS-A's, Open Space-Active Park Districts. The Park is the principal Use, the recreational uses are ancillary. There is no Athletic Field zoning classification as a principal Use or that commands a separate zoning District. So athletic fields come under Parks.
For many, many years the appointed Municipal liaison to the Parks Board was and perhaps still is the Recreation Dir. who never could answer any questions about the passive operations and portions of Parks, nor would he covey such questions, issues or recommendations to peers or superiors. The only interests and concerns of these liaisons has been the ancillary recreational uses. A consequence was and has been a serious deterioration in the passive, majority acreage of Parks over time. The 2004 Parks Master Plan has never been implemented. But we have and are spending millions of dollars on recreation including two parks purchased for a total of $3 million for only athletic fields that are dead-ended, and the result of poor misguided decisions - Twin Hills and McNeilly.
The Parks Board finally arranged a number of years ago to have the Dir. of Public Works attend Parks board meetings so that non-recreational matters would be heard and hopefully addressed.
I'm not sure this arrangement continues today.
10:32 10:39 11:15 Bringing teachers into this argument is asinine. If you want to complain about their silence, have you contacted their union rep to ask for a public opinion? Have you emailed your children's teachers to inform them? Like 11:21 said...if they are not a resident of Mt. Lebanon, they probably have no idea what is going on in the commissioners meeting or in the park department.
That kind of random and baseless attack only hurts your movement. Stick to the facts...they are there and support your cause. It is also the type of action that keeps more moderately thinking people away from a site or a movement like this. They might agree that they don't want turf but are scared off by random personal or baseless attacks. (Might explain why only 50 people signed the petition) Stick to calm, respectful, and informed communication...don't give anyone ANY reason or quote to discredit your actual point.
If you want the Environmental Science teacher or Elementary science teachers (who I'm guessing are the ones "indoctrinating" the students into planting trees) to make a statement...inform them of the situation politely and ask for their opinion.
I do want a sign...I will email you.
11:33 I don't agree with your logic so I just agree to disagree.
There is not one single provision, requirement or specified and assigned responsibility for artificial turf in any of the 22 Chapters of the Mt. Lebanon Code (or in the entire Home Rule Charter either), be it in Zoning, Parks and Recreation, Health & Safety, whatever. Nor has anything of this nature even been proposed or discussed.
It's a rouge undertaking !
Circle the wagons, develop a fortress mentality, proceed with the cart before the horse, a ready - fire - aim execution and a don't confuse us with the facts, our mind's made up attitude !
What else could possibly go wrong ? ?
1:36 I agree with you. It doesn't make sense to bring the teachers into this because my guess is that they would not support artificial turf, especially if they are involved with teaching science.
Regarding the petition, we are not pushing it because time and energy is needed in other ways. Besides, Dave Brumfield doesn't put any stock in petitions. I am sure that if it becomes clear that a petition effort will make a difference we'll have no trouble getting thousands of signatures. If the Commissioners are going to ignore petitions, I'd rather give them information that they cannot ignore. There are many residents who are very upset about this issue and any Commissioner who supports artificial turf is committing political suicide.
-Charlotte Stephenson
For now, leave the schools out of it. Focus. There needs to be a revote. Bendel/Silverman/Fraasch AGAINST.
I think the commissioners should be impeached. Yes they were voted in with 5 votes! but they have a fiduciary duty with the tax payers money. They are not acting in the most responsible way with Lebo's tax dollars. Lebo has more pressing issues than plastic grass.
They really need to go
1:36 is spot on! thank you. And thank you for the explanation about the petition, Charlotte.
The current liason to PAB is Tom Kelley, director of Public Works. Up until a couple months ago, it was David Donnellan of the Rec Dept. Mt. Lebanon, unlike most of our peers has no Department that is responsible for our Parks. Not surprisingly, it is not a high priority for either the Rec. Dept. nor Public Works, and why would it be? Our parks have no official voice, and that probably best explains the difference between Lebo Parks and USC parks. The PAB is strictly an advisory board. The commission has no obligation to follow any advice it gives. Currently, parks only get attention when a citizen group or a particular Commissioner decides something needs to happen. 2 yrs. ago Kelly Frasch helped fix some glaring problems, like a gully at Martha's Playground, rusted playground equip, and rotten bench's. The fact that things ever got that bad is only proof that the Parks need an official voice. Instead we just throw our money at the sports groups for hair brained ideas like McNielly.
Up until a year ago or so, field maintenance was suppose to be done under an agreement with the district and YSA, to the tune of $80,000+ dollars.
Once that agreement expired the district took responsibility for maintaining their own fields.
So what did they do in a community that is "indesperate need of more athletic fields."
They eliminate the Horsman ball field (that was used for younger kids soccer practices too) and covered the coveted Rock Pile with a mound of dirt.
Once the HS project is completed you can be sure there will be a Capital Improvement ordered.
No need to bother the teachers though, their contract will be renewed and their pensions covered.
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