PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — Plans to add synthetic turf fields to Hallowing Point Park in Prince Frederick are under scrutiny by advocacy groups, who cite safety, all-weather playability and cost as key concerns.
Synthetic turf is an artificial grass field created by layering plastic grass on top of a material backing and filling it in. Most turf fields use rubber tire crumbles as the infill, but other biodegradable options are available.
“I think it’s important to remember that, while we call this synthetic grass or turf, it’s plastic,” said Diana Conway, president of Safe Healthy Playing Fields Inc. “It’s having kids play on plastic.”
Converting some multi-use fields from grass to synthetic turf is currently in the Hallowing Point Park Master Plan, which was presented at the May 21 Planning Commission meeting. As per regulations, the plan was posted for 30 days prior to the hearing to allow time for public comment.
There is no definitive timeline for adding turf. Park Planner Stephanie Sperling, who presented the Master Plan, said that this was earmarked for fiscal 2031 as part of the six-year capital improvements plan.
“Calvert County is currently the only jurisdiction in the region without publicly available synthetic turf fields, and many of our residents have expressed interest in bringing such an amenity closer to home,” Sperling said in an email.
The plastic turf material improves outcomes for fields that experience frequent rain delays, which is ongoing in Calvert County. For parents who spend time and money to sign kids up for a sport, weather cancellations are a huge frustration. Data about public satisfaction regarding turf fields in the area isn’t readily available.
On the other hand, turf fields risk getting too hot for play in the summer, making them dangerous to athletes and putting games at risk for cancellation, too. Longstanding research from Penn State claims that turf fields are, on average, 30 to 50 degrees higher in temperature than natural grass in the same outdoor conditions.
Turf is also packaged as requiring little maintenance — something Sperling echoed in her comments. Turf does have a high upfront cost — anywhere from $650,000 to $2 million. Conway’s estimate is that most parks will spend around $1 million on a new turf field, versus $350,000 for high-quality grass.
“Then you have a field for maybe 10 years, and when it’s time for an upgrade, what do you do with it?” Conway said. “There’s no real way to dispose of this huge piece of plastic, and then you have to spend another million on a new field.”
She added that even fields with biodegradable infills still have plastic grass, and that these plastics have PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” making disposal a financial and logistical problem.
According to Sperling, 34% of respondents to their planning survey ranked the addition of synthetic turf as “highly” or “moderately” important to them. Around 31% ranked turf as “no” or “low” priority. In context, this was the third-highest priority among respondents, behind paved multi-use (52%) and natural (50%) trails (data provided by Calvert Parks and Recreation).
Before and after the presentation of the Master Plan, Sperling said she received several thoughtful comments about turf, including the risk of injury to kids.
“We place the safety of our patrons as our highest priority, and we are aware that some studies suggest higher injury rates on synthetic turf at elite levels of play. This will be a major factor in our final decisions,” she said.
The National Institutes of Health conducted a study on lower extremity injuries in NFL players on turf versus grass and found a slight increase in injury on turf versus grass overall, and a “significant” increase in season-ending injuries on turf.
“We’re not here to tell people what to do, we just want people to have all the information so they can make the best choice for their community,” Conway said.
Sperling encouraged the public to engage in this conversation during the long process to update these fields at Hallowing Point Park. Ultimately, it will be up to the community.
“We look forward to continued public dialogue and careful analysis before moving forward,” she said, and invited people to share their thoughts on the matter to parksandrecreation@calvertcountymd.gov.
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