Santa Rosa City Schools is fast-tracking the replacement of synthetic athletic fields at all five high school campuses due to failing materials and mounting safety concerns.
According to the Press Democrat, district officials report that the rubber infill on current fields has prematurely hardened into mud-like clumps, stripping the surfaces of their necessary “bounce” and posing a risk to student-athletes. The move comes just seven years into a ten-year warranty, forcing the board to approve a new $5.9 million contract to ensure fields are ready for the fall season.
While the project will be funded by Measure C bond money, trustees expressed frustration over being “burned” by the previous installations. The district’s legal team is now working to recoup costs from the original contractor, KYA Services, citing faulty materials that didn’t go the distance.
Construction is set to begin June 5, immediately following graduation ceremonies, with a goal to have the new, 12-year-warranted turf in place by August.
