City considers artificial turf in Centennial Park

A photo of the upper softball fields in Centennial Park at night from Carson City.

The question of whether to convert the upper adult softball fields at Centennial Park from grass to artificial turf is scheduled to be considered by the Carson City Parks and Recreation Commission on Tuesday.

The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Community Center meeting room. The Parks Commission will make a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors regarding the conversion to artificial turf.

“This item is intended to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed project in terms of capital investment, maintenance, water use, playability, recreational use, tourism, player safety and the environment,” the agenda states.

“Located on the north end of Carson City, Centennial Park hosts more than 100,000 participants annually in sports tournaments, adult sports leagues and special events,” a staff report said. “The park’s infrastructure is aging and requires new investment to maximize use, reduce potential safety concerns and ensure it remains competitive as a venue for tourism opportunities and local recreation leagues, and provides economic benefit to the community.”

The artificial turf project was to be part of park improvements that would be funded by up to $5 million in general obligation bonds, which were approved by the Board of Supervisors after required hearings earlier this year. Under an agreement between the city and the Carson City Culture and Tourism Authority (CTA, or Visit Carson City), the bonds were backed by a portion of the revenue from the room tax.

“The CTA supported these improvements because they would improve playability for year-round use of the field for sports tournaments and tourism opportunities in Carson City,” the staff report states.

The upper fields total 8 acres, are mowed two to three times per week, and use over 8 million gallons of water per season, according to Carson City Parks, Recreation and Open Space Department staff.

As the project moved forward last year, citizens were concerned about the potential health impacts of certain materials, such as rubber granules used in artificial turf. The Park Commission is expected to discuss several material options on Tuesday and decide whether to move the project to the design phase.

More information about the proposal can be found online: https://d2kbkoa27fdvtw.cloudfront.net/carsoncity/87baa781bced95fba3a0f56c3800195b0.pdf.