I almost missed this. Thanks to the reader who alerted me to this article in the Almanac. ML residents oppose turfing fields (Saved in Google Docs) I was at the meeting when Ann Stanton passed out photographs of the horrendous traffic congestion on Cedar Blvd. I am willing to post those photos, Ann. Not only do people park illegally on Cedar Blvd. and Cedar Lane, but kids are dropped off on Cedar and run across the street. It is an accident waiting to happen. So let's "add more slots" by adding artificial turf which, in turn, will increase traffic congestion and create more parking issues. Since the artificial turf will permit more games played after rain storms, where will the cars park when Cedar is flooded?
Monday's meetings should be interesting. Maybe YSA will present their check during the commission meeting public comments, so that they may clear their name of past debts. Only then should they pick apart Matt Kluck's turf information which will be given during the discussion session.
18 comments:
Thanks, i missed that too.
I wonder why Lebofields, that fair and balanced protector of our kids health, wealth and welfare didn't publish and address the issues.mentioned in the article?
After all "The Great Oz" surely has a plan that covers all these incidentals. Even his big athletic supporter - Linfante says parking is a mess already.
When has cedar flooded? The issue is that the posted speed limit is 25 and cars fly down that road. The road needs speed bumps. Either develop other fields or fix the ones we have. Doing nothing is no solution.
Wizard of Oz: "Do not arouse the wrath of the great and powerful Oz. I said come back tomorrow."
Gee, now if we could only get him to climb into his hot air balloon and fly away.
10:29 AM, sorry I can't give you specific dates, but I have lived here for almost fifty years and Cedar has flooded quite a few times. I found this:
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/regions-rising-flood-problems-require-more-cooperation-less-concrete-315947/
This:
http://triblive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/westmoreland/s_737091.html
and this
http://www.mtlebanon.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/66
Elaine
Here is an interesting factoid from a turf company. http://www.sportsturfonline.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?nm=News+and+Features&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&AudID=374222F1A4794C91A8E3D4464352DF70&tier=4&id=329B3F0BC81145838D6007DEE9BD6690
E layers are permeable, but it is important to have an impermeable filter fabric to keep the subgrade from getting saturated. This is especially important in the Northeast which is prone to freeze/thaw cycles. So where does the water drain, YSA? On Cedar?
Elaine
This is an issue for another day but since it is broached here... "The issue is that the posted speed limit is 25 and cars fly down that road. The road needs speed bumps."
I don't get this. Lebo has been in existence for 100 years and for approximately 90 of them we didn't need things like speed bumps. Now all of the sudden government has to come up with a solution to make people follow the rules?
Why the proliferation of streets requiring physical enforcement of posted speed limits?
Do we have a sudden influx of scofflaws or is there a mindset that has become prevalent in the community of "it's all about me"? I can drive as fast as "I" feel is comfortable, "I" can drink at youth sports activities, "I" can skip parking tickets, "I" can make an illegal U or left turn at Mellon if I want too!
And don't forget the big one. I can pay my obligation to the Joint Maintenance Agree maybe when I feel like it!
Where does this self-centered philosophy come from. Perhaps from a generation raised on getting their own way and lead to believe they are holier than everyone else!
All together now all you disciples of Blue Devilism... pray for those with "hate in their hearts!" LOL
Sorry for not posting the link, so here it is again.
Building good drainage for synthetic fields
So who cleans out the pipes and where do they drain? How much does proper drainage add to the cost of turfing and lighting the fields? Is this extra maintenance included in the costs, YSA?
Elaine
Here are the other links that I had listed previously. My iPad gets all weird on me when I try to do this on it. Sorry for the inconvenience,
Region's rising flood problems require more cooperation, less concrete
Storms cause flooding in several counties
Land Development Application Checklist
Elaine
How do we put a speed bump in the brain of athletic supporters to slow them down spending money we/they don't have?
Elaine, if memory serves I believe Cedar Lane has experienced several floorings and just looking at the lay of the land I would think the run off from Wildcat/Middle would head directly for that low spot.
But, I don't live there, so perhaps the homeowners need to speak up as they'll be the most affected.
Seems Commissioner Linfante is at odds with her municipal employees on the topic of rain water management as the article you posted informs us.
"Mt. Lebanon and other communities are embracing a more modern approach to stormwater management. The old approach had been to send water toward storm sewers. The new -- and many believe better -- approach is to absorb as much of the water as possible where it falls."
Maybe for our $8/month rain water "fee" we can pump all the stormwater over to Lebofields' place and let them deal with it.
Damn, I just came up with a great fund raising venture for the YSA should they manage to get their Turfed field. They could sell Blue Devil Springs bottled water.
Filtered through Mt. Lebanon's plastic turf and crumb rubber fill, this water will provide all the minimum daily requirements of carcinogens and unsoluable rubber solids a young athlete needs. They make millions!
I believe the Cedar Blvd. athletic fields are situated several feet below Cedar Blvd., permeate naturally and are not connected to a stormwater piping system; and, therefore are not contributing to the actual flooding of Cedar Blvd. itself.
Is the flooding of Cedar Blvd. being caused by the inability of the existing municipal stormwater piping and street catchbasin system to handle the water ?
Bill Lewis
Then to make those fields more playable after a rain all they might need is some proper grading and storm water management?
Since the fields lie lower than Cedar Blvd. my recreation preference would be to create a little lagoon (think Kennywood comes to mind) with benches, paddle boats and maybe sone stocked trout.
Bet we could do it for well under a million bucks and what a beautiful location it could be. Maybe a gazebo in the middle for summer evening concerts. With an aging population it might be more useful for keeping property values high.
August 8, 2000
Remember this one? We had four feet of water in our basement and garage during this one. The hundred year storm and then the hundred one year storm...
If we have artificial turf, the kids will be able to play right after a thunderstorm, but their parents' cars could be washed away or Cedar could be closed.
From Lebomag.com:
Cars and floods don't mix
"CARS AND FLOODS DON’T MIX They say April showers bring May flowers, but too many showers, regardless of the time of year, can be dangerous. Remember the flash flood last August on Allegheny River Boulevard that claimed four lives? Over the past few years, Mt. Lebanon firefighters have had to rescue several stranded motorists from flooded roads. So if you encounter a flooded roadway, remember there is no way to determine the depth of the water; turn around and find an alternate route. As little as six inches of water will stall your car, a foot of water can carry off a car and two feet can sweep away an SUV or pickup truck. Play it safe."
Elaine
The bottom line?
If the YSA, who are the folks demanding turf, can't---or won't---make its promised contribution, why should the taxpayers be asked to pay?
Make the YSA raise ALL the money for this project.
So whom do you suggest handles all the binds and audits of the project?
The same people involved in the YSA Joint Maintenance Agreement?
I agree a cash on the barrel head deal or nothing.
Then we focus on keeping our fields in shape with their natural turf in place.
I am a resident of Peters Twp and our installation of turf at Peterswood Park has caused many problems. It was pushed through our Parks and Rec Dept by our Soccer Assoc who wanted the field. Council approved it saying it was "multi-use" meaning the existing residents who used it for other sports, etc could continue to use it. Only to find that all others (dog walkers, sledders, pick up frisbee games, etc) were banned. Think long and hard about allowing this turf field into your community. I wish I was more informed when this was being pushed through by a special interest group. Visit this site for other communities facing this issue: http://www.synturf.org/forbiddenfields.html
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