RICHMOND FIELD ASSESSMENT
RICHMOND FIELD ASSESSMENT
ARTIFICIAL TURF STUDY
Richmond, CA
May 28, 2024
RICHMOND FIELD ASSESSMENT
PROJECT PURPOSE
Review of existing parks in Richmond
to identify upgrades to courts and
fields and locations for soccer fields
for recreation, practice and
competition to address level of service
deficits
RICHMOND FIELD ASSESSMENT
SHORT-TERM PROJECT
RECOMMENDATIONS
Council has approved the use of
approximately $7.7 million in ARPA
funds for park improvements to
address the deficit.
• Wendell Park
• Shields -Reid Park
• Martin Luther King, Jr Park
ARPA funds that are not obligated by
construction contract by December
2024 will no longer be available for
City use.
RICHMOND FIELD ASSESSMENT
WENDELL PARK
• Renovate natural grass
multi -purpose field and
irrigation system
• Softball infield renovation,
new perimeter fence,
back- stop, seating, park
lighting, single -stall CXT
restroom
SHIELDS-REID PARK
• Replacement of existing
multi -purpose natural
grass with U13 artificial
turf with soccer and
softball striping or
irrigated grass field.
• New cool -down/clean up
irrigation system,
perimeter fencing, back
stop, field seating, field
lighting
MLK, JR PARK
• Complete renovation of
existing restroom.
• Potential repair to
softball/baseball field,
perimeter fencing, and
conduits for field lighting
RICHMOND FIELD ASSESSMENT
Do the benefits of artificial turf
outweigh the concerns?
• Yes? Design for artificial turf at
Shields -Reid Park will proceed.
• No? Redirect funds to renovate the
baseball/multipurpose field at
Martin Luther King, Jr Park
RICHMOND FIELD ASSESSMENT
What is Artificial Turf?
• ‘Grass’ - soft plastic fiber styled to
look like blades of grass
• ‘Soil’ – infill and other layers
designed to provide drainage and
shock -absorbency
RICHMOND FIELD ASSESSMENT
What is Artificial Turf?
‘Grass’ - soft plastic fiber styled to
look like blades of grass.
• Major manufacturers have removed
the ‘forever chemical’ PFAS from
the fiber supply chain.
• Concerns about harmful bacteria
are addressed through proper
cleaning and maintenance practices.
RICHMOND FIELD ASSESSMENT
What is Artificial Turf?
‘Soil’ – Infill materials can include:
• Crumb rubber: made from recycled
tires, largely discontinued due to
health and environmental concerns.
• Sand: no airborne particles, so no
health impacts
• Organic materials such as nut shells,
cork, olive pits, corn, wood chips.
RICHMOND FIELD ASSESSMENT
Artificial turf fields can be used:
• 8 hours a day
• 7 days a week
• All seasons
• All weather
Natural grass fields:
• Can only be used during dry weather
• Must rest a few days after rain to dry out and
avoid damage
• Must rest after heavy use and maintenance
Considerations
• Play season
• Useful life
• Maintenance
• Water use
• Herbicide/pesticide use
• Temperature
• Plastics/Chemicals
• Lifecycle
RICHMOND FIELD ASSESSMENT
Artificial turf fields’ useful life expectancy:
• Most manufacturers provide warranties for 8
years.
• Rule of thumb is 10 years with proper
maintenance.
Natural grass fields can last indefinitely with
consistent high-quality maintenance and full field
renovation every 8-10 years
Considerations
• Play season
• Useful life
• Maintenance
• Water use
• Herbicide/pesticide use
• Temperature
• Plastics/Chemicals
• Lifecycle
RICHMOND FIELD ASSESSMENT
Artificial turf requires:
• Grooming every 40-60 hours of use to remove
surface dirt/garbage and redistribute infill
Natural grass fields require:
• Frequent irrigation, multiple times per week in
warm weather
• Regular mowing, bi-weekly or weekly in warm
months, March - October
• Annual maintenance including: aeration, top
dressing, dethatching, seeding and fertilizing
• Closure four weeks/year (min.) to allow for new
grass growth
Considerations
• Play season
• Useful life
• Maintenance
• Water use
• Herbicide/pesticide use
• Temperature
• Plastics/Chemicals
• Lifecycle
RICHMOND FIELD ASSESSMENT
Considerations
• Play season
• Useful life
• Maintenance
• Water use
• Fertilizer/pesticide use
• Temperature
• Plastics/Chemicals
• Lifecycle
Artificial turf: use can cause uneven
distribution of infill material.
Infill should be checked yearly and may
require redistributing/adding infill
Natural grass: use causes divots, holes,
bare spots in high use areas.
Aeration, reseeding, top dressing and
resting period required to maintain
playing surface
RICHMOND FIELD ASSESSMENT
Artificial turf: washed during grooming, on an as-
needed basis.
Natural grass: grass requires regular irrigation.
Compare: Full-sized, 1.32 acre, natural grass
sports fields can use 1.5 million gallons of
water/year.
Synthetic Turf Council estimates that same-sized
artificial turf fields can save 500,000 to 1 million
gallons of water/year.
Considerations
• Play season
• Useful life
• Maintenance
• Water use
• Herbicide/pesticide use
• Temperature
• Plastics/Chemicals
• Lifecycle
RICHMOND FIELD ASSESSMENT
Artificial turf does not require use of fertilizer,
pesticides, or herbicides.
City of Richmond does not use pesticides or
herbicides and may not adequately clean mowers
between locations.
Natural grass fields become a combination of
grass and weeds, resulting in uneven playing
surface:
• Reduces playability, may increase risk of injury
• Increases maintenance requirements and
frequency
Considerations
• Play season
• Useful life
• Maintenance
• Water use
• Herbicide/pesticide use
• Temperature
• Plastics/Chemicals
• Lifecycle
RICHMOND FIELD ASSESSMENT
Concern: Artificial turf fields are hotter than the
ambient air temperature, contributing to heat
island effects and heat-stress in players.
Response : Crumb rubber and sand infill are the
greatest contributors to heat generation. Select
other infill options, considering materials designed
to mimic evaporative cooling.
Considerations
• Play season
• Useful life
• Maintenance
• Water use
• Herbicide/pesticide use
• Temperature
• Plastics/Chemicals
• Lifecycle
RICHMOND FIELD ASSESSMENT
Concern: Artificial turf materials contain the toxic
‘forever chemical’ PFAS and contribute to
microplastics contamination.
Response:
• All major manufacturers have removed PFAS
from their supply chains.
• Microplastics contamination is an on-going
concern for all materials, including cars,
clothes, packaging, electronics, etc.
Considerations
• Play season
• Useful life
• Maintenance
• Water use
• Herbicide/pesticide use
• Temperature
• Plastics/Chemicals
• Lifecycle
RICHMOND FIELD ASSESSMENT
Concern: Infrastructure for recycling artificial turf
materials removed from fields may be unavailable
or costly.
Response:
• All major manufacturers are looking for next-
generation products, such as Trex lumber, that
fields can be recycled into.
• East coast recycling facilities are functioning,
none on the west coast yet.
• Field materials can also be repurposed in dog
parks, landscaping, pond liners
Considerations
• Play season
• Useful life
• Maintenance
• Water use
• Herbicide/pesticide use
• Temperature
• Plastics/Chemicals
• Lifecycle
RICHMOND FIELD ASSESSMENT
Do the benefits of artificial turf
outweigh the risks?
• Yes? Design for artificial turf at
Shields -Reid Park will proceed.
• No? Funds may be redirected to
renovate the baseball/multipurpose
field at Martin Luther King, Jr Park.
RICHMOND FIELD ASSESSMENT
Recommendation
• Approve the use of artificial turf
to help address deficit of
available soccer fields