august 2009 final draft - batavia city school district · urban and rural areas”. the ultimate...

BATAVIA ATHLETIC

FIELD ANALYSIS August 2009

Final Draft

Batavia Athletic Field Analysis

August 2009 Final Draft

For Internal Review Only / Not For Public Distribution

Prepared by:

Stuart I. Brown Associates, Inc. A Division of LaBella Associates, P.C.

300 State Street, Suite 201 Rochester, NY 14614


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ....................................................................................... 2 Demographic Summary ........................................................................ 4 Summary of Existing Athletic Fields ....................................................... 8 National Standards for Athletic Field Facilities ........................................ 16 Survey Data Summary ....................................................................... 22 Observations .................................................................................... 39 Recommendations / Considerations ..................................................... 43 Implementation Strategy ................................................................... 48 Funding Opportunities ........................................................................ 53 Appendix A ...................................................................................... 57

• Map – Locations of Existing Athletic Fields • Field Inventory

Appendix B ...................................................................................... 86

• Notes on Synthetic Turf

Revised Final Draft: For Internal Review Only 1

INTRODUCTION


INTRODUCTION

The Batavia community has a long and proud history and commitment to athletics and sports programs. Some of its sports history goes back as early as the late 1930’s when its first professional baseball team started playing in the City. In addition, Batavia has long supported youth sports programs as evident in 1982 when the Batavia Little League was the New York State Upstate Division Champion in the Little League World Series Tournament. There are numerous school and community examples that demonstrate the supportive environment for sports and athletics that is apparent throughout Batavia.

It is important to recognize that there are many personal benefits that can result from having quality sports leagues and programs. It has been widely accepted by experts that organized sports offers young people more than just exercise. It also offers enhanced self-esteem and increased confidence. It teaches self-discipline, teamwork, leadership and cooperation, as well as how to share and handle stress through competition. Stephen D. Keener, the President and CEO of Little League Baseball and Softball, emphasizes that “playing Little League has always been about developing social skills and understanding the values of leadership, personal accountability and teamwork”.

The Batavia community is fortunate to have passionate and dedicated people that serve as coaches, league administrators, officials, groundskeepers and organizers that provide their time and expertise to guide, teach and support young people in a variety of sports. Some sports such as baseball and football have had steady participation for many years, while other sports, such as soccer and lacrosse are experiencing recent strong interest and growth. Moreover, adults also have a strong interest in participating in field sports, as many are looking to stay active through organized athletic leagues. The fundamental challenge lies in how to best meet the needs of all participants so that everyone has a quality athletic field to play on and which contributes to a quality recreational experience.

There are legitimate concerns regarding the quantity of athletic fields needed in the Batavia community to ensure that all people who want to participate in field sports have a place to play. As a result of this ongoing concern, the Batavia City School District and the Town of Batavia collaborated to conduct an athletic fields study to determine if there is a need for additional outdoor athletic fields that can be utilized year round by the school district for interscholastic sports and by local sports organizations. The purpose of the study was to evaluate existing athletic field conditions and to assess the ability of existing facilities to meet current and future demands. This information is essential to develop a strategy for current and future decisions regarding potential improvements and/or expansion of athletic fields in the Batavia area.

This report presents a summary of background information including demographics, national standards, a field user group survey, a field inventory and assessment and a recommended action plan to help existing and projected needs. The detailed inventory lists local fields owned by the Batavia City School District, City of Batavia and Genesee County. To the extent possible, private facilities were included in the evaluation.



Many members of the Batavia community have a strong desire to create a positive experience related to outdoor field sport activities. Moreover, having quality sport programs helps to create social interaction and leads to a sense of pride in the community. It was emphasized at the International Conference on Exercise, Fitness and Health (1988) that “Sport is one way in which social exclusion can be tackled. Important evidence suggests that participating in sporting activities increases people’s sense of integration into their local community in both urban and rural areas”. The ultimate goal is to create an environment throughout Batavia where people can live, play and socially connect with one another through quality recreational experiences and create pride in the community.


DEMOGRAPHIC

SUMMARY


DEMOGRAPHIC SUMMARY

The demand for athletic fields in communities can be influenced by many factors. Understanding the demographic context is important as it can impact current and future demand for athletic fields in the Batavia Community. An important overall factor is total population as well as various population characteristics, including age distribution. Enrollment trends and projections were reviewed for the Batavia City School District as the population of students has a bearing on the level of demand and the need for facilities for school athletic programs. In addition to population and age, household income characteristics have also been evaluated as the amount of disposable income can influence the demand for participation in sports leagues that utilize athletic fields. Households with less discretionary income could potentially choose activities that do not require additional financial commitments and in some situations, households may choose not to participate in any extra sport programs at all.

Population

Historically, the City of Batavia has experienced a slight decline in population while the Town has remained stable or has had minimal growth. According to the U.S. Census, the City had just over 16,000 people in 1999. During the past 40 years or so, the City’s population has decreased by almost 2,000 people. Although the rate at which it has declined has slowed recently, the total population is projected to decline to just under 15,700 people by the year 2020. A certain percentage of these people are expected to migrate into the Town of Batavia, which is expected to remain fairly stable over the next 10 years. The total population for the Town is approximately 6,000 people.

The total estimated population for the Town and City of Batavia for the Year 2010 is 21,959. Overall, the Batavia community, which includes the Town and the City, represents about 37% of the total population of Genesee County. The population of Genesee County as a whole is projected to remain relatively stable. Table 1 below summarizes the population trends and projections for the City and Town of Batavia as they compare to Genesee County.

Table 1 – Population Trends and Projections

Town of Batavia City of Batavia Genesee County

Year Total Population

Percent Change

Total Population

Percent Change

Total Population

Percent Change

1980 5,565 ----- 16,703 ----- 59,400 -----

1990 6,055 8.8% 16,310 -2.4% 60,060 1.1%

2000 5,915 -2.3% 16,256 -0.3% 60,370 0.5%

2004 6,011 1.6% 15,830 -2.6% 59,689 -1.1%

2010 5,954 0.7% 16,005 -1.5% 60,237 -0.2%

2020 5,970 0.3% 15,675 -2.1% 59,772 -0.8%

Source: Trends = US Census Bureau; Projections = Genesee Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council (GFLRPC)



Age

Using figures from the 2000 Census, it is important to show the breakdown of age groups for the Town and the City of Batavia. The median age for the City of Batavia is 37.9 years, while the median age for the Town is slightly higher at 39.4 years. Since a large part of the study is focused on youth sports that range in age from 5 to 19 years of age, these particular age groups have been highlighted. The City of Batavia, on average, has two and one half times more young people in these age groups than the Town. In 1999, the City of Batavia had a total of 3,293 people in the age group of five to nineteen years old, while the Town had a total of 1,261. The total population in the City and Town within this age group was 4,554 in 1999.

The largest age group for both the Town and the City was the 35 to 44 year age group. A total of 3,500 people were in this age group in 1999. It is important to recognize that there are more than 3,000 people in the age group of 65 to 84. Although this age group does not typically utilize athletic fields, it does show an aging trend for the Batavia Community.

A summary of population statistics by age group is shown below in Table 2.

Table 2 - Population Statistics by Age Group – 2000 Census

Age Group City of Batavia Town of Batavia Total

Under 5 years 966 340 1,306

5 to 9 years 1,064 402 1,466

10 to 14 years 1,095 430 1,525

15 to 19 years 1,134 429 1,563

20 to 24 years 968 229 1,197

25 to 34 years 2,203 715 2,918

35 to 44 years 2,509 1,001 3,510

45 to 54 years 1,969 846 2,815

55 to 59 years 749 323 1,072

60 to 64 years 571 300 871

65 to 74 years 1,196 486 1,682

75 to 84 years 1,270 331 1,601

85 and over 562 83 645

Total 16, 256 5,915 22,171

Median age (years) 37.9 39.4 ---------

Source: U.S. Census – 2000 (DP-1)



Batavia City School District

An awareness of total school enrollment and projections for the Batavia City School District is an important factor. The enrollment and projection data for this report was provided by the school district. These numbers are helpful in estimating the future demand of athletic facilities by anticipating if there will be any major fluctuations in student numbers in the coming years ahead. By the end of the 2008/09 school year the total number of students enrolled is expected to be 2,350. The highest number will be in grades K-5 with a total of 1,079. It is anticipated that there will be 539 students in grades 6-8 and 732 students in high school (grades 9-12). Table 3 summarizes annual enrollment trends and projections for the Batavia City School District.

For the 2009/10 school year the enrollment appears to be relatively stable with the largest difference being an increase of thirteen students for Grades K-5. However, it is anticipated that the K-5 group will start to decline in numbers starting in the school year 2010/11. This decline is projected to continue but then stabilize in the school year 2012/13 with a total student population of 1,049, which are thirty fewer students than the current year. This amounts to a decline of 2.7%. The largest decrease for this group will be after the school year 2010/11 as there will be 27 students less to start the school year 2011/12.

The middle school or grades 6-8 is projected to decrease by fourteen students over the next two years from 539 to 525. The following year in 2011/12 a jump of 20 students or almost 4% is expected for the middle school with another 14 students projected to increase in the school year 2012/13 for a total of 559. The middle school grades of 6-8 are the only group projected to have higher numbers in the student year 2012/13, than the current year.

The high school grades of 9-12 are projected to remain stable next year with only a small gain of 3 students. High school enrollments are then expected to decrease starting in the year 2010/11 by approximately 32 students. It is projected that by the end of 2012/13 school year the high school group will decline from 732 to 644 students. This is a total of 88 less students from the current school year or a 12% decrease, which is the largest decrease of all the grade groupings.

Table 3 - Batavia City School District Annual Enrollment and Projections

2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13

Grades K - 5

1097 1079 1092 1077 1050 1049

Grades 6 – 8 531 539 530 525 545 559

Grades 9 - 12

763 732 735 703 657 644

Total School District

2391 2350 2357 2305 2252 2252

Source: Batavia City School District (October 2008)



Household Income

The participation in recreational programs and/or leagues outside of school interscholastic sport programs requires additional discretionary income for items such as registration fees, equipment, uniforms and footwear, fundraisers and travel expenses. To gain a better understanding of the income levels in the Batavia community, annual household income brackets were reviewed for the City, Town, Genesee County and New York State. As noted in Table 4 below, the total number of households in the City of Batavia for 1999 was 6,459, while the total number of households in the Town was 2,331. The total households combined (8,790) make up 39% of the total households in Genesee County.

As reported in the 2000 Census, the two annual income brackets for the City of Batavia which had the highest percentage of households are under $14,999 and the range from $15,000 to $24,999. This unfortunately means that 38.6% of the total households in the City earned less than $25,000 a year, which can make it difficult to contribute extra monies to recreational leagues and programs outside of school. This figure is nine percentage points higher than the New York State figure (29.6%) and just over eleven percentage points higher than the Genesee County figure (27.3%). In addition, just over 35% of the City households (2,276) in 1999 had annual household incomes ranging from $35,000 to $75,000.

As reported in the 2000 census, the highest percentage of households (23%) in the Town of Batavia was found in the annual income bracket of $50,000 to $74,999. After combining the first two income brackets it was noted that slightly more than 26% of the households in the Town had an annual income of less than $25,000 in 1999.

Table 4 - Distribution of Household Income / Total Households and Percentages

Annual Income City of Batavia

Town of Batavia Genesee County New York State

0 to $14,999 1,258

(19.5%) 311

(13.4%) 2,835

(12.4%) 1,262,827 (17.9%)

$15,000 to $24,999 1,236

(19.1%) 297

(12.7%) 3,389

(14.9%) 822,611 (11.7%)

$25,000 to $34,999

895 (13.9%)

459 (19.7%)

3,448 (15.1%)

807,043 (11.4%)

$35,000 to $49,999

1,158 (17.9%)

441 (18.9%)

4,452 (19.5%)

1,047,001 (14.8%)

$50,000 to $74,999

1,118 (17.3%)

537 (23.0%)

5,157 (22.6%)

1,297,712 (18.4%)

$75,000 to $99,999

493 (7.6%)

120 (5.1%)

2,158 (9.5%)

746,384 (10.6%)

$100,000 or more

301 (4.7%)

166 (7.2%)

1,365 (6.0%)

1,077,017 (15.3%)

Total Number of Households

6,459 (100%)

2,331 (100%)

22,804 (100%)

7,060,595 (100%)

Median Household Income

$33,484 $38,449 $40,542 $43,393

Source: U.S Census DP-3: 2000


SUMMARY OF EXISTING

ATHLETIC FIELDS


SUMMARY OF EXISTING ATHLETIC FIELDS

Background

An important component of the study is an inventory of the existing athletic fields currently being used by the School District and the field user groups throughout the City and Town of Batavia. A site analysis was compiled based on answers from the survey directly related with individual fields. Field users were asked to identify the fields that they primarily use for practices and games. In addition to the survey, information was also compiled from the Batavia City School District, Genesee Community College and Notre Dame High School.

Field user groups were asked a variety of questions to assess the overall quality of the existing fields, including certain amenities, and to identify needed improvements. The groups were also asked to give their opinion as to how the fields were maintained and managed by the primary owner. These results were categorized under each athletic field along with background information. A total of fourteen athletic field sites were inventoried. An individual site summary and an aerial image of each site are included in Appendix A. For the purposes of this report, the athletic fields have been organized under field ownership.

The Batavia City School District owns and maintains outdoor athletic fields at the following school properties:

Batavia High School Vandetta Stadium John Kennedy Elementary School Batavia Middle School North Street Extension Property

The City of Batavia owns and maintains athletic fields at the following locations:

MacArthur Park Dwyer Stadium Williams Park Kibbe Park Farrell Park Lions Park Cedar Street Fields (Note: co-owned by Genesee County)

The field user / stakeholder group identified two other locations within the Batavia community that have athletic fields. This includes Genesee Community College (GCC), which is owned by Genesee County and Notre Dame High School, which is privately owned by The Diocese of Buffalo. GCC currently makes most of the fields on the college campus available for public/community use. Many of the fields are temporarily not available due to a construction project. Notre Dame High School only allows the YMCA to use its softball field and currently does not allow other user groups to use its soccer/football field for concern it will not hold up due to additional wear other than its own games and practices. An overall map showing the



locations of the existing athletic fields mentioned above is displayed at the end of this chapter and in Appendix A. A summary of the number of fields and where they are located by ownership is shown in Table 5 below. As a note, only full size regulation fields were tallied. In addition, the remaining “practice” fields were not included as these are difficult to quantify based on the different sizes of fields.

Table 5 - Summary of Existing Athletic Fields by Ownership Diamond:

Baseball – Official size

Diamond: Baseball – Little League

Diamond: Softball

Rectangular: Soccer / Lacrosse

Rectangular: Football


3 1 3 3 1

City of Batavia 2 2 3 4 0

Genesee Community College

1 0 1 4 0

Notre Dame High School

0 0 1 1 1

Total 6 3 8 12 2

Types of Fields

Four types of athletic fields have been identified for this analysis.

Diamond

These types of fields are used for baseball and softball. An official sized baseball diamond has a pitching distance of sixty and one half feet and a distance of ninety feet between the bases. A Little league or youth baseball diamond is smaller in size and measures forty six feet for pitching and sixty feet for the baselines. Foul lines and center field can vary in distance, although many user groups prefer to have outfield fences installed on diamond fields because it helps define the area of play.

A softball diamond measures basically the same as a youth baseball field, although the infield surface is typically all dirt and the grass is removed (also known as a “skinned” infield). Although NRPA standards acknowledge that a softball field and Little League (youth) field are interchangeable, most players and coaches are strongly opposed to grouping fields in such a manner.




Rectangular

These fields tend to be multi-purpose and are commonly used for soccer, lacrosse and rugby. Although football is also played on a rectangular field, the dimensions and the field markings are somewhat different. It is worth noting that youth soccer organizations have found it more beneficial for younger players to practice skill building on smaller fields. Therefore, a regulation size field may not be necessary to play youth soccer games.

Practice

For the purpose of this analysis, fields that are not regulation size according to national standards (NRPA, Little League, etc.) have been classified as “practice fields”, even though many of them are used for games. This occurs because there are not enough full sized or regulation sized fields to accommodate the demand for games. The classification of fields for practice is helpful in order to determine how many full sized fields the Batavia community actually has and to more accurately determine the number of fields actually needed.

It is difficult to quantify the number of practice fields that exist in an open area as the actual size of the fields may differ based on the age group or the philosophy of the coach laying out the fields. As practice areas for soccer can be marked off and portable goals installed, the number of fields depends more on the age group and the size of the field one is attempting to create. In addition, a soccer league/team may layout several small fields for skill building while a football team may arrange one large field for a scrimmage or practice.

Overlay

An overlay field can be defined as the practice of lining out a designated field on top of an existing field used for a different purpose. The most common overlay field is to use one or more diamond outfields to create a soccer, lacrosse or football field or practice area. Many of the practice fields in the Batavia community are also overlay fields.

This type of field layout on natural turf is advantageous in that multiple arrangements may be accommodated, especially if there is a limitation on available space. The disadvantage is that an overlay field design can also lead to an overuse and stress of the diamond outfield areas because of the multiple sports being played in one area. Overuse is more likely to be an issue in the areas where the goal areas are set up, as these areas can be susceptible to heavy use. Overlay fields can lead to scheduling conflicts as it is difficult for both sports to be played at the same time. If games or practices are scheduled at the same time there can be issues with player and spectator safety that need to be addressed (i.e.: player collisions, overthrown balls, etc).



Important Notes

Dwyer Stadium

Dwyer Stadium is owned by the City of Batavia and has an extensive history of baseball for the Batavia community. The stadium is now home to the Batavia Muckdogs, which is a Class A franchise (short season). The operation of the stadium and the team is the responsibility of the Batavia Regional Recreation Corporation, an eleven member board of area volunteer citizens appointed by the Batavia City Council. The original stadium, which dates back to the late thirties, was demolished in 1995 and a new stadium took its place in 1996 at a cost of approximately three million dollars. The baseball stadium is a unique asset for a City the size of Batavia.

The stadium is also home to the Batavia High School Varsity Baseball team as well as the Notre Dame High School Baseball team. On occasion the facility will host sectional games. Genesee Community College also uses Dwyer Stadium for spring home games. At this time, there are no user groups outside of the schools that utilize the stadium as an athletic field. The Batavia Youth Football League no longer practices or plays at the stadium.

The Town of Batavia:

Kiwanis Park

Kiwanis Park is owned and maintained by the Town of Batavia. It is an eight acre parcel located at 3800 West Main Street Road (NYS Route 5). The park currently does not have any athletic fields. The site is physically constrained by the northern bank of Tonawanda Creek along the southerly part of the parcel and the road to the north. In addition, the uneven topography and the amount of trees on the parcel are not conducive for the creation of athletic fields at this location. Moreover, the park is not centrally located to most residents.

Galloway Road Park

The Town of Batavia is currently in the process of designing and developing a new park located in the northwest area of the Town. The Town purchased two parcels totaling approximately 64.5 acres on Galloway Road. The intent is to develop these parcels into a park with a focus on passive recreational activities. The park is still in the design phase and the final design has yet to be determined, however, the intention is not to develop athletic fields that support organized sports leagues. The park will have some open space areas and some potential ball fields suitable for use during a picnic and or similar day use activity.



Genesee County YMCA

The Genesee County YMCA is located at 209 East Main Street in Downtown Batavia. The YMCA has no athletic fields and cannot add them due to the lack of physical outdoor space. The YMCA currently runs a T-Ball baseball program for 3-5 year olds at Notre Dame High School’s softball field during May and June. The YMCA also runs the Challenger Baseball program at the minor league field and the smaller practice fields at MacArthur Park. This program will have approximately 60-65 children participating in 2009 and the YMCA partners with other agencies to support children with disabilities.

The current YMCA staff has expressed its support for the need to provide additional athletic fields for the community and is willing to partner its resources (staff, expertise, etc.) to accommodate this in the future. The YMCA has an interest in expanding programs for youths, adults and families that would utilize athletic field space and would be interested in a relationship that benefits the community as a whole.

Genesee County - DeWitt Recreation Area

Genesee County owns and maintains the DeWitt Recreation Area located on Cedar Street. It is a 63 acre outdoor recreation area that does not have athletic field facilities. Furthermore, as stated in the Comprehensive Parks & Recreation Master Plan for Genesee County Parks (adopted June 23, 2005) the land was donated to the County by the DeWitt Family with the stipulation it can be used leisurely as a public park, however, not for any organized sports or competitive league play.

301 & 305 Bank Street, City of Batavia This vacant and abandoned parcel, which is under temporary ownership by the City of Batavia, is located adjacent to the Batavia High School property and Dwyer Stadium at 301 & 305 Bank Street. The site, which is almost 7 acres in size, has been contaminated with hazardous substances and is listed in the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) database for environmental site remediation. The parcel has been investigated in the past as a potential area for expansion of athletic field facilities and other infrastructure for integrating MacArthur Drive and Bank Street as well as Dwyer Stadium. The following information was obtained from the DEC database. Site name: Batavia Iron and Metal Company, Inc. Site Code: E819018 Program: Environmental Restoration Program Recent correspondence was sent to the DEC by the consultant and a reply was received from the project manager in regards to the status of this site which stated “Investigation is essentially complete. The draft remedial investigation/remedial alternatives report is under review. We will be determining whether additional work is necessary, or whether we can proceed with remedy selection”. An additional conversation with the DEC project



manager confirmed that remediation of this site is likely to take years and more importantly will cost millions of dollars due to the extensive contamination of this site.

Private Property

There was insufficient information to include any specific private property in the field inventory; however the following parcels are worth noting as they came up in various discussions or comments.

Batavia Turf Farm, Bank Street Road, Town of Batavia: A total of seven multi-purpose rectangular fields have recently been developed on a section of a seventy five acre parcel located on Bank Street in the Town of Batavia. The fields are on property owned by CY Properties, LLC. The project is a joint venture involving the private owner, Town of Batavia and the Batavia City School District. The School District will maintain the fields for a one year period (mowing and lining). In addition, sport field user groups contributed resources to assist in the development of these fields, which are designed for soccer, lacrosse, rugby and football. Overall, there has been positive community support for this project. The current project is a one year lease agreement and is being used as a test for future considerations. There are currently no amenities at this site, however, it is anticipated that at least portable restrooms will be provided. The location is more suitable for sport groups / leagues that already have to travel to other fields by automobile. The School District has noted that they do not intend to use the fields as there is no water or restrooms and the location is too far for students to access by walking or bicycling. The potential advantage of this project for the School District is that these additional fields could help reduce the demand on existing school fields allowing the fields to be rested, particularly at John Kennedy Elementary School. Since these fields are not permanent at this time, they were not figured into the overall total field inventory.

Alexander Road (NYS Route 98): This site is a large privately owned parcel located at 9071 Alexander Road (NYS Route 98) in the Town of Batavia. At this time, none of the field user groups that responded to the survey use this facility. Initial feedback from user groups did not indicate an interest in utilizing this property for athletic fields due to its location and the need for site improvements.



YWCA – 301 North Street, Batavia NY The property is owned by the YWCA of Genesee County, Inc. and is located at 301 North Street in the City of Batavia. This parcel was mentioned as a potential site for the development of additional athletic fields within the City of Batavia. A brief review of the 5.5 acre site indicates that the existing building footprint and parking area cover almost one third of the parcel or approximately 1.6 acres. The remaining area of approximately four acres of undeveloped land is predominately wooded. The site is bounded by residential property on the east and the west and is adjacent to a church property on the north. NRPA recommends that the minimum space needed to develop one multi-purpose rectangular field, such as soccer, would be 1.7 to 2.1 acres. Although there is approximately four acres that could be potentially developed, this particular parcel is not wide enough for regulation size soccer fields. The parcel is 164 feet wide, except for a small section in the middle of the site, which is 102 feet wide. Regulation sized fields are typically 180 feet wide.

DRAFT: Month, X, 2009

Batavia Athletic Field AnalysisLocations of Existing Athletic Fields

I-90

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Bank

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Alex

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Richmond

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Jack

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Federal

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Northern

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Locations of Existing Athletic Fields:

1 = Batavia High School 2 = Vandetta Stadium 3 = John Kennedy Elementary School 4 = Batavia Middle School 5 = North Street Extension Property 6 = MacArthur Park and Dwyer Stadium 7 = Williams Park 8 = Kibbe Park 9 = Farrell Park10 = Lions Park11 = Cedar Street Fields12 = Genesee Community College13 = Notre Dame High School Fields

1

6

3

5

2

7

7

8 9

10

11

4

13

0 0.5 1 Miles

12

Ownership Key


City of Batavia

NATIONAL

STANDARDS FOR ATHLETIC FIELD

FACILITIES

(NRPA)


NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR ATHLETIC FIELD FACILITIES

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) has established park and recreation standards, which includes athletic field facilities, as a means to define a minimum acceptable set of guidelines for citizens of urban and rural communities in the U.S. These guidelines help determine minimum land requirements for various types of park and recreation areas, outdoor facilities and athletic fields. In addition, the standards serve as a basis for relating recreational needs to the spatial analysis within a community-wide system of parks, open space and athletic field areas and can be used to guide local officials in making decisions concerning potential investments for recreational facilities. The purpose of these guidelines is to present park and recreation space standards that are applicable nationwide for planning, acquisition, and development of park, recreation, athletic facilities and open space lands, primarily at the community level. The standards should be observed simply as a guide, since they address only minimum goals to be achieved. In addition, the standards should be interpreted according to the particular situation to which they are applied. The NRPA believes that more citizens are becoming active stakeholders in their community and, as a result, are becoming more involved in the decision-making process. There is a growing recognition that recreational demands for a community are often successfully accomplished by multiple stakeholder groups working together for a common goal. The NRPA also realizes that communities have different needs and characteristics and that these standards and guidelines will simply supply a basic framework for planning to improve a community’s park and recreational assets. Table 6 summarizes the NRPA development standards for outdoor field sports associated with this study and most applicable to the Batavia area. The suggested development standards provide recommended space requirements as well as size and dimensions for adding or expanding athletic field facilities. It also provides a recommended service radius along with additional location notes. The number of fields (units) per population total is included in the chart; however, there are opinions that some of the information is outdated. For example, one soccer field for a population of 10,000 people does not appear to be sufficient in most communities. Nevertheless, the standards are meant to be a guide and not a requirement. Furthermore, athletic fields that are constructed or expanded to meet current and future needs in Batavia should build upon and enhance the existing facilities already in place.

It is important to note that the NRPA does not currently have any standards for lacrosse and rugby. For this report, soccer was considered the closest alternative as an equivalent sport since it is played on a similar sized rectangular field. In regards to the number of fields needed, the popularity and growth of lacrosse is far greater than rugby especially among youth and high school athletes. Moreover, NRPA standards do not differentiate between practice fields and game fields, which is becoming an important factor in determining the amount of athletic fields a community may actually need.



Table 6 - National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA)

Suggested Facility Development Standards

Activity/ Facility

Recommended Space Requirements

Recommended Size and Dimensions

Number of Units per Total Population

Service Radius

Location Notes

Baseball a. Official

3.0 to 3.85 Acres minimum

Baselines – 90’ Pitching – 60.5’ Foul lines – min. 320’ Center field – 400’+

1 per 5,000 Lighted - 1 per 30,000

¼ - ½ mile

Part of neighborhood complex. Lighted fields part of community complex. Baseball

b. Little League

1.2 Acre minimum

Baselines – 60’ Pitching – 46’ Foul lines - 200’ Center field - 200’ – 250’

1 per 5,000 Lighted - 1 per 30,000

¼ - ½ mile

Football 1.5 Acre minimum

160’ x 360’ with a minimum of 6’ clearance on all sides.

1 per 20,000 15-30 minutes travel time

Usually part of baseball, football, soccer complex in community park or adjacent to high school.

Soccer 1.7 to 2.1 Acres 195’ to 225’ x 330’ to 360’ with a min. 10’ clearance all sides.

1 per 10,000 1-2 miles Number of units depends on popularity. Youth soccer on smaller fields adjacent to schools or neighborhood parks.

Softball 1.5 to 2.0 Acres Baselines – 60’ Pitching -46’ min.; 40’ women. Fast pitch field radius from plate – 225’ between foul lines. Slow Pitch - 275’ (men) 250’ women)

1 per 5,000, if also used for youth baseball

¼ - ½ mile

Slight differences in dimensions for 16” slow pitch. May also be used for youth baseball.

Lacrosse & Rugby

Note: Currently not listed in standards. Use soccer as a reference guide.

Source: Lancaster, R.A. (Ed.). (1990). Recreation, Park, and Open Space Standards and Guidelines. Ashburn, VA: National Recreation and Park Association.



Table 7 compares the quantity of existing athletic facilities that are usable within the Batavia community with the NRPA minimum standards. A total population of 22,000 (rounded off) for the City and Town of Batavia was used as a basis to determine the current needs per NRPA standards. As noted below, the existing inventory includes fields that are owned by the Batavia City School District and the City of Batavia. In addition, only full size regulation fields were tallied and practice fields were not included as these are difficult to quantify based on the different sizes of fields. NRPA standards were reviewed to determine the anticipated number of fields needed. In many instances, however, a higher priority should be given to interests and trends reported by local user groups. These are summarized and briefly described in the athletic facility overview below.

Table 7

Comparison of Existing Facilities with NRPA Standards Town and City of Batavia

Activity / Facility NRPA Minimum Standard (per total population)

Current Needs per NRPA Standards

Existing Athletic Facilities

Anticipated Number of Fields Needed*

Diamond: Baseball – Official size

1 field per 5,000 5 5 1

Diamond: Baseball – Little League (Youth)

1 field per 5,000 5 3 2 - 3

Diamond: Softball

1 field per 5,000 5 6 2

Rectangular: Soccer

1 field per 10,000 2-3 7 7


1 field per 20,000 1 1 1

Notes: 1. Encompasses athletic fields only owned by the Batavia School District, City of Batavia and Genesee County 2. Only full size regulation fields are counted 3. Practice fields are not counted *4. See Athletic Facility Overview below for clarification on this column.

Athletic Facility Overview

To view the specific locations of the fields, refer to Appendix A.

Diamond – Baseball / Official size

There are currently five official size baseball diamonds in the Batavia community. This computes to an average of one field per 4,400 people. According to the NRPA standard, which



is one field per 5,000 people, it would appear there are enough baseball diamonds available for the community to use.

These numbers require a closer review as the total includes Dwyer Stadium, which has limited community use and is reserved for only certain school groups. Moreover, two of the five fields are located at John Kennedy Elementary School, where user groups have expressed concerns that the outfield areas are too close to adjoining residential areas for this activity (for example; houses and backyards are within potential reach of hit baseballs). Furthermore, these particular baseball diamonds are not accessible on the weekends due to soccer leagues utilizing the outfield areas as overlay fields. There is one diamond at the high school and is only available when the school is not in session. Lastly, there is an official size baseball field at Williams Park; however, this field is not always available as it is used by Notre Dame High School for Junior Varsity practices and games. If these circumstances were to remain, there appears to be a need for one additional official sized baseball field.

Diamond – Baseball / Little League (Youth)

According to NRPA standards, the Batavia area has a shortage of Little League (youth) baseball diamonds. There are currently only three Little League size baseball diamonds, which is an average of one field per 7,333 people. The NRPA standard is one per 5,000 people. Adding one field would still leave the area below the NRPA standard. Adding two fields would put the supply above the standard at one field per 4,400 people. Field user group feedback supports that there is a demand for at least two additional youth diamonds and the preferred design would be to group these additional fields at one location. The NRPA standards do reference that softball fields and Little League fields can be used interchangeably because the field dimensions are the same. If the number of softball fields were added to the number of Little League fields, it would seem that there would be more than enough fields to meet local demands. This is not the case, however, as most field users strongly prefer to have their own dedicated fields. Moreover, softball fields typically have “skinned” infields (the grass is removed for an all dirt surface) whereas Little League fields have grass infields. In addition, some diamonds are specifically dedicated to Little League baseball or softball. These fields are not interchangeable or available for other user groups on a regular basis.

Diamond – Softball The NRPA standard for softball is one diamond per 5,000 people. In the Batavia community there are six softball diamonds, which is an average of one field per 3,667 people. This figure would seem to indicate that Batavia has an adequate supply of these fields at this time. However, three of the six softball diamonds are located at different school properties and the school teams have first priority for their use. All three softball diamonds also have potential conflicts with adjacent practice field areas due to their close proximity to one another, which means that the use of the practice fields is limited or not available during times that the softball diamonds are in use.



The remaining three softball diamonds are located at City parks and owned by the City of Batavia. The softball diamond at Lions Park is used exclusively by one league and therefore is not fully available for other teams/leagues to use. There is a need for at least two more softball fields for adult recreational leagues, as there are not enough fields available to meet the anticipated demand for field user groups. In addition, there is only one lighted diamond available for adult recreational leagues to use. The existence of additional lighted softball diamonds would extend the playing time for each field and allow more teams to be accommodated. In addition, due to other commitments and work, adult leagues prefer to play in the evening. Furthermore, there is currently no group of softball fields or complex available for multiple games at one location. This greatly reduces the potential to hosting softball tournaments. One field user group specifically expressed a desire to have multiple softball fields in one location so as to be able to sponsor tournaments.

Rectangular – Soccer

There are currently seven full size soccer fields in the Batavia area. According to the current NRPA standard, which is one field per 10,000 people, it would seem as if the existing total was more than adequate to serve the needs of the community. It is almost uniformly accepted that the NRPA Standard is outdated due to the rapid growth of youth soccer over the last decade. On the other hand, the NRPA soccer standard includes a notation that “the number of units depends on popularity”. This is difficult to quantify and not particularly helpful.

The demand for rectangular fields in the Batavia community far exceeds the generally accepted “standard” of one field per 10,000 population total. This demand is due to a high interest and growth in soccer and the steady growth in lacrosse for both girls and boys. Most communities have expressed the feeling that a ratio of one field to 1,200 to 1,500 people is more reasonable and consistent with the demand. Using a ratio of 1:1,500 would indicate that the Batavia area would need to add seven additional fields to bring the total number of rectangular fields up to fourteen.

It is important to note that most youth soccer organizations set up smaller fields to develop skills and in some cases, even to play games. Therefore, a full sized field can accommodate multiple set ups depending on the age group and the size of the field desired. As lacrosse and youth football can be played on a similar type of field as soccer, the investment of additional rectangular fields would help serve the needs of multiple user groups.

Rectangular – Football

According to NRPA standards, one football field should be sufficient for a population total of 20,000 people. There is one full sized football field in the Batavia community, which is just about the recommended minimum. This would indicate that one field would be enough to satisfy the demand. The only available football field is owned by the school district and is used for home games. This field is located at Vandetta Stadium, which is lighted. There have been



some scheduling conflicts with the varsity soccer team, which also uses the field for home games. Practice is limited on this field as the facility is susceptible to overuse. The preferred maintenance approach is to rest this facility and restrict its use only for home games.

If the use of the Vandetta Stadium football field continues to be restricted, then there are no full size football fields available for local field user groups to use. There is then a need to add an additional football field. This should be coordinated with the expansion or addition of other rectangular fields, as they are similar in size. It is important to note that youth football has the flexibility of being able to set up smaller fields for practices and games, depending on the age group. Another alternative would be to convert Vandetta Stadium to a synthetic turf field to accommodate more field users without stressing the field’s playing area.


SURVEY DATA SUMMARY


SURVEY DATA SUMMARY

The Batavia Athletic Fields Analysis included an online survey that was strategically created as a means of gathering important background information concerning field user data. A letter was sent to a stakeholder group of field users previously identified by the Superintendent of the Batavia City School District and a representative for the Town of Batavia. The primary field user groups who responded to the online survey are listed below. The survey was critical in learning about the needs and desires of the stakeholder groups that utilize the athletic fields in the Batavia community outside of the school district.

The survey was established online to allow respondents the chance to complete the survey at their convenience. The respondents included a combination of league presidents, coaches, treasurers and league representatives. The survey included forty two questions and allowed respondents to provide numerical data as well as the opportunity to express opinions regarding a variety of topics. A total of 22 groups were asked to participate and a total of 14 responded (64%). An encouraging note is that all major sport field users replied to the survey. A list of the primary field user groups that responded as well as key findings from the survey are identified and summarized below

In addition to the survey, an open discussion was held with the Buildings and Grounds Superintendent, as well as with the Athletic Director for the Batavia City School District. Furthermore, additional comments were received from a series of phone calls and emails with various members of the stakeholder group.

Primary Field User / Stakeholder Groups

The following is a list of the primary field user groups that responded to the survey:

• Batavia Men’s Baseball League • Genesee Amateur Soccer Association (GASA) • Batavia High School Baseball • Batavia Youth Bureau • Genesee Area Lacrosse Club • Batavia Minor League Youth Baseball • Batavia High School Football • S. C. Genesee Lancers • Batavia Jr. Muckdogs • Batavia Youth Football • Tonawanda Valley Young Ladies Softball • Women's Softball League (recreational) • Genesee Rugby Club • NYS Police – Physical Fitness Training / Testing



Important Notes

The Batavia Youth Bureau

The Batavia Youth Bureau is a department of the City of Batavia created in 1958 and just celebrated fifty years of service. The Bureau’s mission is to promote the positive development of all youth and their families in the City of Batavia through youth development programs. The Youth Bureau was contacted as part of the original stakeholder group for the analysis as it does offer recreational programs as part of its services to the community. In addition, the Bureau was invited to participate in the online field user survey to offer feedback regarding athletic fields. From the survey and its 2008 Annual Report it was determined that the Youth Bureau organizes and runs a summer recreation program for five days a week for six weeks during the summer recess. The structured program is coed and operates in five City parks. The program served almost 500 children last year in ages ranging from six to nineteen years old. The summer program serves an important recreational need for the participants; however, it is not a structured athletic league. The Youth Bureau commented that there is definitely a need for additional athletic fields in the City to accommodate the youth participating in all sport leagues and /or programs.

New York State Police

The New York State Police conducts physical fitness training and testing at Vandetta Stadium. They do not utilize any athletic fields; however they do occupy the track and field facility adjacent and within the football field area. The testing and training program runs for approximately two hours a day from Monday through Friday during the months of June through August. There are about 450 coed uniformed members of the State Police that participate. This user group is satisfied with how the facility is maintained and commented that the track and field area is always clean. Although the track and field area was not part of the scope of this study, it is important to note that a positive partnership and relationship has been established between the Batavia School District and the NYS Police.

“Walk-on” or Casual Groups These groups are defined as individuals and/or groups that utilize athletic fields without arrangements or contracts to play on specific fields. Typically, these groups will play on fields in the evenings and on weekends. These groups will sometimes use fields regardless of weather conditions, which can lead to substantial damage to fields. In addition, scheduling conflicts occur when walk-ons are utilizing fields that have been assigned to designated user groups. At this time there is not enough substantial data or evidence to document the extent to which walk-ons are impacting the use of athletic fields in the Batavia community.



This is an activity that requires monitoring and recording from field user groups or park personnel. This task is not always feasible due to the lack of available resources and the fact that walk-ons tend to use fields during off hours.

Total Enrollment

The total number of participants in 2007 and 2008 for each of the top field sports is summarized in Table 8. In 2008, a total of 1,746 participants enrolled in field sports, a slight increase compared to 1,724 from the year before. The sport that had the most growth was soccer and a major contributor to the increased soccer enrollment was the Genesee Lancers Soccer Club. The Club increased from 87 to 103 participants after the 2007 season (16% increase) and last year grew from 103 to 168 participants (39% increase) to end the 2008 season.

Table 8 - Number of Participants Enrolled by Sport in 2007 & 2008

Sport

Number Enrolled in 2008 (All ages)

Number Enrolled in 2007

(All ages)

Baseball 418 418

Softball 210 220

Football 420 405

Soccer 618 553

Lacrosse 60 100

Rugby 20 28

Total 1,746 1,724



The sport that had the most participants in the Batavia community in 2008 was soccer with a total of 618 players. Interestingly enough, both football and baseball had two hundred fewer participants than soccer which had the highest level of enrolled participants for field sport users. Although rugby had only 20 enrolled participants, it is important to note that it represents a single team that operates as a club and is not an entire league. Figure 9 gives a quick snapshot of how the number of participants is spread out among the various field sports.

Figure 9 – Number of Participants in 2008

0 200 400 600 800

Baseball

Softball

Football

Soccer

Lacrosse

Rugby

418

210

420

618

60

20

Number Enrolled

Sport

Number of Participants Enrolled in 2008



Age & Gender

The online survey asked repondants to provide data on the age, gender and skill level of the participants in their leagues and / or teams. Overall, the ages ranged from six years to adults, with the majority of the focus being on youth leagues, ages ten to eighteen. An interesting trend for certain field sports has been an increase in the number of female participants. This is evident in Figure 10 as the number of Male only leagues / teams is now equal to the percentage of female participants. Actually, 43% of the respondents noted that the league is coed and includes both male and female participants. In essence, the number of males and females particpating in organized recreation activities is about equal.

Figure 10 – Primary Gender of Participants

43%

28%

29%

Primary Gender of Participants

Male

Female

Coed



Skill Level

In reviewing the results of the survey for the skill level of the participants it was noted that the number of leagues that teach only advanced skill levels (36%) is equal to the amount of teams that instruct players at all skill levels (36%). The intermediate skill level for participants is 21% according to the results of the survey. Overall, this is a nice balance of skill levels being taught for field sport participants in the Batavia community. Figure 11 below summarizes the skill levels being taught for the participants in the Batavia leagues.

Figure 11 – Skill Level

7%

21%

36%

36%

Skill Level of Leagues

Advanced

All Skill Levels Intermediate

Field Usage

A number of guestions were asked to get a sense of how many hours teams / leagues were playing on the existing field surfaces. This information helps to indicate if the fields are being overused. The Batavia City School District’s field sport teams use the district’s fields Monday through Friday and typically on Saturday for practices and games. This occurs just prior to the beginning of the school year (late August) until the end of the school year (June).



Based on the 14 repondents, it was noted that the average practice for all field users was about 2 hours but no less than 1 ½ hours, except for one league. Practices for non-school teams started as early as April and most last until about August. The average number of practices is two to three times a week. It is common for most user groups to increase the number of days and time for practicing early in the season to get the athletes physically in shape and into the mode of playing. As the seasons move into the game schedule, then the amount of practices tends to decrease for most user groups.

The average number of practices per week for non-school groups was typically two to three times. The survey showed that 43% of these teams have two practices while 14% have three practices. Typically, younger age groups do not practice more than twice a week up through about age 12. The school teams on the other hand practiced every day during the week, unless there were games scheduled.

There is a wide range in the average number of games played on athletic fields per week. This depends on the league and/or team and the number of fields available. The range is between between one and five games, although some leagues are playing almost every day with multiple games a day and a per week total as high as 15 games. Figure 12 illustrates that the number of games played per week is spread out evenly throughtout the user groups.

Figure 12 - Average Number of Games per Week

Average Number of Games per Week by User Groups

1 Game per Week (16%)

2 Gamesper Week (25%)

3 Games per Week (17%)

4 Gamesper Week (17%)

5 Games per Week (25%)



The average number of hours per game is two hours, although just about all games last between one and one half hours to two and one half hours. Figures 13 and 14 depict the number of hours user groups commit for practices and games. The data presented is based on the information received from the online survey.

Figure 13 - Average Number of Practice Hours

Figure 14 – Average Number of Game Hours

Figure – Average Number of Game Hours



A major factor observed is that many fields are overused due to the lack of available practice fields. This is based on the fact that 69% of all fields are used for both games and practices. A large number of comments were made regarding the lack of practice fields as well as game fields. One field user group mentioned that they will use whatever fields are available, while another group noted that they will practice in any park space they can find. It is important to preserve some fields for games only, especially fields like Vandetta Stadium, where too many practice hours can result in a surface being unplayable or in very poor condition. It has been determined that if natural turf fields are not given the chance to rest, poor playing conditions are generally prolonged. Figure 15 below shows the breakdown of number of fields used for practices versus games.

Figure 15- Field Usage

69%

8%

23%

Most Common Use of Fields

Both Games and Practices

Games

Practices



Current Needs

The field user groups were asked if the existing athletic facilities meet their current needs. Eight of the fourteen respondents (57%) responded that the needs of their organization were not being met. Figure 16 below presents the respondent’s results from this survey.

Figure 16 - Current Needs

Comments from field user groups who do not think that the existing fields meet their needs include:

“There is only one little league field in the whole city. It's hard to schedule these extra games with the regular season eating up all the times. We need another little league field to use” (baseball);

“Not enough fields (baseball) for weekends. Soccer is being played on the baseball fields and can't be used. Also, there are no outfield fences” (baseball);

“The availability of more practice space” (football);

“We currently use fields at GCC. The wind is detrimental to game and practice conditions most times” (soccer);

“We need more practice fields for older and younger groups. One location would be very nice” (soccer);

“We use North Street Extension and this field is not level, nor is it maintained as an athletic field” (lacrosse).



Number of Fields Available

The field user groups were asked if their organization was satisfied with the number of fields in the Batavia area available to play and to practice on. The response was negative by a ratio of almost two to one; nine of the fourteen groups responded that they are not satisfied with the number of fields available. Figure 17 below depicts the respondent’s answers.

Figure 17 – Number of Fields Available

Some of the comments from the field user groups who desire more fields are as follows:

“There are not enough baseball fields in this area. Another field for the baseball community would be awesome” (baseball);

“The number of the practice fields are too low” (football);

“It is always scary every year to see how we are going to find enough fields for all the teams” (soccer);

“We can’t schedule more than one game at a time due to the limited number of fields. John Kennedy is almost never available for a whole days worth of games due to soccer usage” (men’s baseball).



Limited Participation and/or Registration

It is important to note that even though a majority of respondents were not satisfied with the number of fields available, most current registration and/or participation was not limited by the lack of suitable fields. There are two groups, however, that have limited registration and /or participation due to a lack of sport fields. These field user groups are soccer and adult baseball. The soccer groups have purposely chosen not to add more teams so as to avoid field issues. In addition, the adult baseball league cannot support more teams without better, proper sized fields to play on. Figure 18, summarizes the responses received from the online survey.

Figure 18 - Registration / Participation



Field Maintenance

The survey also inquired as to the group’s level of satisfaction with the existing athletic fields. The Batavia City School District maintains their fields while, for the most part, the City maintains their fields. It should be noted that some groups actually provide their own field maintenance. In particular, the Tonawanda Valley Softball League maintains the softball field at Lions Park. In addition, the Batavia Minor League maintains the baseball field at MacArthur Park that they utilize for games. Figure 19 below shows that ten out of thirteen respondents are satisfied with the current maintenance of the fields. Most believe the maintenance departments are doing the best they can, considering the availability of limited resources. Some other user groups have expressed an interest in assisting with either occasional or one time maintenance projects associated with the fields but such activities have not been authorized or permitted.

Figure 19 - Maintenance Satisfaction

The following are responses from field user groups regarding maintenance of the existing fields:

“During the summer the fields are not maintained; grass grows in the infields” (baseball);

“The maintenance crew does a great job; the practice fields get too much use due to lack of space” (football);



“Fields are not rolled or over seeded each year. There are uneven surfaces and bare patches. In midsummer the ground is extremely firm because fields are not watered” (soccer);

“The turf could be maintained and mowed better” (soccer);

“All that is done is the fields are mowed and the benches put out. We utilize an outside source for the rest of the field preparation” (adult women’s softball);

“We have a good relationship with the Bureau of Maintenance in Batavia” (softball).

About one-half of the survey respondents indicated that they do pay a fee for field maintenance. It was noted that when soccer teams use the fields at Genesee Community College they are charged for the cost of paint to line the fields and that the College is responsible for the painting and the maintenance.

The field user groups were asked if they charge fees to participants for field maintenance. A total of nine out of thirteen responded they do not charge a fee. Three of the remaining four respondents noted that field maintenance costs are built into player registration fees. Only one respondent noted that field maintenance costs are covered by the league sponsorships.

Field Management

The user groups commented on existing practices regarding the management of existing fields. This question attempted to understand how field usage is organized and assigned. It is important to remember that the Batavia City School District must place first priority with the high school, junior varsity and modified teams prior to allowing a field to be used by an outside user group. In addition, the task of managing the fields becomes more complex as the field conditions must be evaluated. Many times fields are not allowed to “rest”, which is another reason that many, if not all, fields are overused. Extreme bad weather conditions further complicates the task of deciding when fields are suitable for play. The School District strongly attempts to satisfy the needs of outside user groups to the best of its ability. Based on the number of fields available, however, this is difficult to accomplish.

Seven out of the twelve respondents (58%) expressed that their organization is satisfied with the management of the existing fields. The remarks of the remaining five respondents are listed below. Although these groups were not satisfied there is an understanding that unless additional fields were available, this is a difficult objective to meet. Figure 20 below illustrates how the respondents answered the question regarding field management.

“With only one field to use it’s impossible to accommodate everybody” (baseball);

“Have to schedule for each date separately. Can’t book for a season. Not always first come first serve, either” (adult baseball);

“Some sports have taken over many fields for the whole summer” (baseball);



“No management; first come first serve” (soccer);

“North Street Extension is not level or groomed as an athletic field. Volunteers have not been allowed to improve the field”.

Figure 20 - Field Management

Incompatible Field Usage

The overlapping of sport seasons for field users in the Batavia Community is unavoidable. Therefore, if there is a shortage of field space, it is expected that some conflicts regarding the scheduling and use of athletic fields will occur. The online survey revealed that sixty-nine percent (69%) of the user groups did report having conflicts, which is significant. About one-third of the user groups do not experience conflicts with other groups concerning the use of fields. Some user groups expressed that conflicts have happened “too many times to even count anymore”, while some mentioned that such conflicts are only minor.

One noticeable conflict seems to occur when there is a high demand for open rectangular field space between the youth football group and the local soccer groups. These conflicts seem to occur primarily at Lions Park, which is the preferred field location for these two user groups. This conflict, although minor at times, is not to be unexpected as the Batavia Youth Football League needed to find a field location for approximately three hundred participants as it was no longer able to play or practice at Dwyer Stadium. There have also been some conflicts between the adult softball recreational league and the youth football group at Kibbe Park.



Other field use conflicts have occurred at John Kennedy Elementary School. In fact, it was commented that the baseball fields are difficult to play on due to soccer games taking up all of the field space. This occurs often between baseball groups and soccer groups using the outfield areas for their game fields. This is also a safety concern as one of the user groups made the following comment “...having soccer goalposts in the outfield and soccer games along baseball fields are asking for an injury”.

In addition, there was mention of conflicting field usage at GCC between the rugby club and the soccer groups. Finally, the lacrosse group has experienced field use conflicts within its own sport due to the lack of available quality fields. The North Street extension field has enough open playing area; however, the areas that are level enough to play on are insufficient even for one group. This area is often used by two to three groups trying to use the area at the same time. Figure 21 below summarizes the survey responses to incompatible field usage and emphasizes that nine out of thirteen or sixty-nine percent have had or are having field use conflicts.

Figure 21 - Incompatible Field Usage



Tournaments / Post Season Events

Field user groups were asked to indicate any tournaments or post season games or events for their league. This information is helpful to understand if there is extra time allotted for field use above and beyond the regular season. These types of activities can put additional strain on field surfaces, especially tournaments. Tournaments can include multiple back to back games throughout an entire weekend, in which case the field area does not rest. According to the field users, there are currently no large multi-field facilities that are available for tournaments in the Batavia community. On the other hand, there is evidence that shows that tournaments can produce positive economic benefits for the hosting communities.

The following is a list of tournaments that were listed by the field user groups:

Sport Tournament Organization

Soccer Batavia Soccer Tournament S.C Lancers

Baseball Playoffs Batavia Men’s Baseball

Baseball 9 & 10 Tournament Batavia Minor League

Rugby Dead Ants Rugby Tournament Genesee Rugby Club

Softball League Tournament Tonawanda Valley Young Ladies Softball

Football Sectional Championship State Championship

Batavia School District

Soccer U6-U10 Picture Tournament Genesee Amateur Soccer Association

Soccer U6-U10 End of Season Tournament

Genesee Amateur Soccer Association

Softball Playoffs Women’s Recreational League

Lacrosse Varsity Level tournament Genesee Area Lacrosse Club

Soccer 2009 Summer Camp S. C. Lancers

Field Improvements & Parking

The field user groups were asked to identify needed improvements to the athletic fields that they currently use. A total of 92% indicated that improvements would enhance the fields and the overall playing experience. The suggested improvements were identified and are listed on each individual site summary in Appendix A. The Field Inventory also lists those sites where the user groups felt that improved parking arrangements are needed.


OBSERVATIONS


OBSERVATIONS

There are many people within the Batavia community who have worked and/or volunteered with field sport leagues for years and some for even decades. As part of the field user / stakeholder group, many of these individuals offered valuable insight into the challenges currently facing sport field participants in Batavia. They have expressed opinions and thoughts that are directly associated with the concern of not having access to a sufficient number of quality athletic fields within the Batavia community. It is important to maintain open communication among these groups on a regular basis to ensure that all participants’ needs are met over time. The following list is a summary of key observations that are derived from conversations, emails and comments from the field user / stakeholder group:

There is a strong commitment and passion for sports in the Batavia community;

Batavia has a proud history of quality teams and coaches for outdoor field sports;

Most field user groups believe there is a shortage in the number of fields;

Physical constraints limit expansion opportunities of many field sites;

The overlapping of sport seasons is unavoidable;

Soccer is the fastest growing sport in the Batavia community;

Enrollment (participation) for some sport leagues / teams has become static;

Enrollment for soccer and adult baseball leagues are impacted by the lack of athletic fields;

Heavy demand impacts the ability to properly maintain fields and to allow time for the fields to rest between uses;

The School District fields are at full capacity during the entire school year making it difficult to allow outside field users access to the fields;

Most fields require some improvements, including drainage, upgraded amenities and parking;

Additional fields are needed for team practices;

Overcrowding creates safety concerns on some fields;

The use of adjacent fields for different sporting activities leads to safety concerns (for example – youth soccer next to lacrosse or baseball);

Many user groups find it difficult to schedule activities on weekends as most fields are over committed;

User groups are willing to share in the maintenance and minor repairs of the fields;

Partnerships and collaboration are important to create positive results;



“Walk-on” or “casual” field user groups are difficult to monitor, but are known to add stress to field conditions;

Travel time and convenience are important considerations for field sport participants;

There is a deficiency of sufficient sized areas capable of hosting sport field tournaments;

The current practice of using baseball/softball outfield areas for overlay fields to accommodate soccer/lacrosse teams should be discouraged;

Establishing separate practice fields from game fields is important to preserve surface areas for games;

Softball and Little League field users prefer to have their own dedicated fields.

National and State Trends

The review of national and state trends can offer insight into understanding the potential future of outdoor field sport activities in a community. Obviously, not all national and state trends are applicable to the Batavia area; however some are worth noting especially as they relate to high school participation. The observation of trends can be useful for school districts and sport organizations as they review strategies and plans for future development.

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) the number of students in 2008 that participated in high school athletics increased for the 19th consecutive year. More importantly, it was determined through an annual survey that almost 55% of enrolled high school students participated in organized school athletics.

It is also worth monitoring the trend of popular sports, like soccer and lacrosse, so that communities can strive to provide the facilities needed for successful programs. Soccer remains one of the country’s most popular youth sport activity. According to the US Soccer Association, total participants increased by more than 2 million between 1987 and 2002 to a total of 17.5 million. It was noted in 2008 by the NFHS that soccer nationwide among female student athletes gained the second most participants increasing in the U.S. high schools by almost 9,000 students, while male soccer increased by about 5,500 students. Data is available to demonstrate that lacrosse is another of the fastest growing sports in the country. The U.S. Lacrosse Organization reports that participation has increased from 82,000 youth players in 2001 to 204,000 players in 2005. Moreover, the NFHS noted overall participation in 2008 for lacrosse continued to rise as the second most popular sport in high school with a combined increase of 14%. Among boy sports, lacrosse gained the most high school participants in 2007-08 with an increase of just over 16,000. One of the most interesting results from the NFHS survey showed that New York State ranked first by a wide margin for boys and girls in the number of student athletes participating in lacrosse with just over 15,700 for boys and almost 11,000 for girls. These numbers support the strong growth of lacrosse in New York State.



It is worth noting that The National Council of Youth Sports issued a report in 2008 entitled “Report on Trends and Participation in Organized Youth Sports”. The following conclusions and observations are excerpted from this report, which are worth keeping in mind for the Batavia community:

Compared to ten years ago, girls are beginning to participate in organized youth sports at a younger age;

There is greater gender equity within the younger age groups;

Organized youth sports rely heavily on school and community owned facilities;

There is an increase in privately-owned indoor facility use;

It is imperative that youth sports organizations have a strong alliance to parks and recreation and school systems for facility use

A Note on Synthetic Turf Historically, synthetic turf fields have primarily been installed at facilities/stadiums used by professional teams and by colleges and universities. Although the initial cost is still high, recent trends indicate that it is more common for high schools and/or municipalities to install synthetic turf fields for sport teams to play on. This is partly due to recent advances in the methods and materials being used today which have certain benefits over natural turf fields.

Observations imply that school districts of all sizes have chosen to install synthetic turf fields. Research of high schools in New York State, that have installed synthetic turf fields, revealed total student populations which range from as low as 1,200 to over 4,000. As an example, the Massena Central School District, which may be a good comparison for the Batavia City School District, will have completed building a new synthetic athletic field just prior to the start of the upcoming 2009-2010 school year. Located in the northern part of New York State, Massena has a comparable sized school district enrollment of about 2,800 students in relation to Batavia which has approximately 2,350. In addition, the total population of the Town and the Village of Massena is approximately 24,000. This compares to the City and Town of Batavia, which has approximately 22,000 people. Synthetic turf is also discussed on pages 44 and 51 (Recommended Action #8). A list of recent reports and other sources of information regarding synthetic turf fields are located in Appendix B.

A Note on Title IX

Due to recent court cases, there is increasing awareness and sensitivity regarding athletic facilities and how they pertain to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”). Title IX prohibits institutions receiving federal financial assistance from discriminating on the basis of sex and specifically requires institutions to provide equivalent program components. The measure of equality includes the provision of comparable sport fields and facilities for male and female sports programs. This is not just a matter of supplying a field space, but rather also focuses on the field amenities provided, including locker room areas. Moreover,



the type and quality of amenities helps to determine if facilities serving males and females are equitable. Although Title IX applies to all athletic programs and facilities, it is important to point out that softball and baseball diamonds have recently been under closer observation. This is due to the fact that although they are similar in shape, they have different requirements and serve different athletic field users. Furthermore, in many cases baseball diamonds have typically received improvements before the softball fields. The issue of Title IX at Batavia High School is discussed more fully on pages 44 and 50 (Recommended Action 7).


RECOMMENDATIONS AND

CONSIDERATIONS


RECOMMENDATIONS / CONSIDERATIONS

The assessment of athletic fields in the Batavia community is not a static process, but rather an ongoing and continuous effort to improve the quantity and quality of athletic fields for everyone. Overall, what is known and has become clear is that the Batavia community has a shortage of quality athletic fields available for practicing and playing field sports. The sport field user groups in the community who use the facilities are in need of additional outdoor athletic fields for both games and practices. In fact, the lack of fields available for practices has had an impact on the overuse and overcrowding that currently exists. Although it has been recognized that additional sport fields are needed to meet current and projected demand, the challenge is largely to determine where the fields should be located and how to pay for them. The successful addition and/or expansion of athletic fields will require cooperation and collaboration between the Batavia City School District, Town of Batavia, City of Batavia, Genesee County and the private sector. As a whole, the Batavia community should strive to invest in improving the condition and the availability of quality sport field facilities. This is important as a means of attracting and maintaining residents who place a high priority and value on having quality outdoor field sport facilities available within the community. Land Acquisition and Development

As previously noted, the Batavia Community would benefit from the availability of additional sport fields. It is apparent that this task is more challenging in the Batavia area due to the fact that there is a limited amount of larger open parcels of land available for developing athletic fields within the City. In some areas, there are no available parcels as many field sites are surrounded by existing residential or commercial development. In addition, physical constraints limit the expansion of many of the existing field sites.

Athletic fields require large open spaces of property that are located within a reasonable distance to serve the residents of the core population group. A summary of the anticipated number of fields needed for the Batavia community along with the NRPA suggested space requirements with service radius can be found in Table 22. The preference among the field user groups and even the NRPA is that whenever possible, similar fields should be grouped together, which requires even larger sized sites. The combined grouping of athletic facilities would be more convenient and economical for field user groups. In addition, the concentration of facilities would produce maintenance efficiencies.

It is important to determine the best locations for these additional fields. An overall strategy, based on the anticipated number of fields needed, is important to the design and layout of any new fields and to make the most of the space available.



Table 22 - Anticipated Number of Fields Needed and Required Space with Service Radius

Field Type / Activity

Anticipated Number of

Fields Needed

Suggested NRPA Standards Space Requirements per Field

Service Radius


1 3.0 to 3.85 Acres Minimum

¼ - ½ mile

Diamond: Baseball – Little League (Youth)

2 - 3 1.2 Acre Minimum ¼ - ½ mile

Diamond: Softball


¼ - ½ mile

Rectangular Multi -Use: Soccer / Lacrosse


1 – 2 miles


1 1.5 Acre Minimum 15 – 30 minutes travel time

Overview of Existing Field Sites

Batavia City School District Property

It is evident that the actual physical space needed for additional fields is extremely limited or in some cases non-existent on the Batavia City School District sites. The school district has athletic fields at the High School, Middle School, John Kennedy Elementary School and at Vandetta Stadium. Only very limited or no space is available to add new athletic fields at these facilities. Some of the sites do, however, have potential opportunities to reconfigure and expand existing fields. These options would need to be more fully explored in a specific site plan.

The school district has two other school locations, which are Jackson Elementary School and Robert Morris Elementary School. A review of these school sites shows that these locations have limited physical space and could not accommodate any sport fields.

The North Street Extension Property, which is currently owned by the school district, has the most physical space to add new sport fields and is a viable option, especially as the district already owns the property. This particular site, which encompasses about 12.5 acres, has been studied by other outside consultants for use as an athletic field facility. Currently, the property is used for outdoor sport activities (mainly lacrosse and soccer) however; the property has never been properly designed or built as athletic fields and has no field amenities. This property offers potential opportunities for partnerships and collaboration. The property is located adjacent to a vacant parcel



owned by the City, which is slightly more than two acres in size and is the location of a former playground. There is also private vacant land to the east which has the potential for use as a passive recreation area, which would compliment any athletic field development. There is access to the site from North Street and from East Avenue, which was reviewed in a 2002 traffic study prepared by a professional consultant.

As physical field space is limited at the school district sites, one option would be to replace natural turf field surfaces with synthetic turf. Vandetta Stadium appears to have the strongest potential of being converted from a natural turf field to a synthetic turf field. Although this would not increase the amount of athletic field space, it would significantly increase the availability of this primary field to more user groups / teams as the field would have greater utility and flexibility. Any synthetic turf options for Vandetta Stadium should include field configurations for football, soccer and lacrosse. Specific details for Vandetta Stadium are listed in Appendix A and additional information regarding synthetic turf fields is included in Appendix B.

The female varsity softball field located at Batavia High School potentially will need to be renovated and improved due to possible Title IX implications as noted on page 39 above. One of the suggested improvements for this particular field is the installation of a permanent outfield fence. The potential implication of such an improvement is noted below.

As a consequence of installing an outfield fence for the softball diamond a section of the existing practice field area will be eliminated. Although this area would now be off limits to other field users and limits the flexibility of this particular space, this action would generate several benefits. For example, the outfield of the softball diamond would be protected from other field users. This would reduce overuse and eliminate potential conflicts and safety issues regarding field overlap areas (see Field Inventory in Appendix A). In addition, a fenced in area establishes a “dedicated field” for the softball diamond, which is one of the recommendations of the field user groups and leads to team pride. Finally, as a result of eliminating part of the existing practice field area, which was typically used by the school lacrosse and soccer teams; there is a greater need to develop additional field space, such as the North Street Extension property.

City of Batavia Property

Existing athletic fields are located at five parks in the City. Some of these parks, such as Farrell Park, have open natural turf areas categorized in this report as “practice” fields, as they are not regulation size. MacArthur Park is essentially a small Little League complex with two youth size regulation fields and two smaller practice or also known as “prep” fields. This park is situated on the same tax parcel and is adjacent to Dwyer Stadium, which is an exclusive official sized baseball diamond.

Williams Park appears to have potential for possible expansion which could include new sport fields. The southwestern part of the park is currently undeveloped and may be able to support new playing fields. This could only be determined by the development



of a specific site plan and cost estimate. Some initial concerns are site drainage as well as the strip of land that bisects the park, which is owned by Niagara Mohawk / National Grid.

The Kibbe Park site is physically constrained as it borders Tonawanda Creek around much of its perimeter. There may be potential opportunities to reconfigure the park site and to add more practice or playing fields in addition to other park amenities. The park is adjacent to other City owned vacant property to the north, which should be considered in any plans for the reconfiguration of this site.

Lions Park is a popular City park for athletic teams and leagues as it has several acres of open grass areas and a fenced softball diamond. The open area can accommodate two full size multi-purpose rectangular fields and additional practice areas. The park is usually at full capacity and in high demand as several field user groups need these field areas at the same time. Although there is limited room for expansion, upgrades could be implemented to help satisfy user demand.

The Cedar Street Fields appear to be on property owned by the City and the County. Although natural turf was installed on these fields approximately ten years ago, the fields are in need of improvement. Initial comments suggest that this is not possible, as the fields cannot be watered or fertilized as they are located over the City’s existing water supply wells. These fields need to be reviewed as to the viability of this site for long-term field use.

There are no additional City Park sites that have sport fields on them. It was mentioned that some sport field user groups will attempt to find any open grass areas in any park because they have no other places to practice. Additional areas for teams and leagues to practice would reduce the amount of field sport participants using other parks. This would allow the parks to serve passive recreation needs more effectively.

Town of Batavia Property

The Town of Batavia currently owns a limited amount of properties throughout the area. A review of these parcels did not indicate any sites that have strong characteristics for the development of athletic fields. There is sufficient land throughout the Town to develop athletic field facilities however; the vast majority of this acreage is in private ownership. In addition, many of the parcels currently have an agricultural land use.

Genesee County Property

Genesee County has limited usable land for development of athletic fields. A review of County owned parcels did not indicate any sites that have strong or favorable characteristics for the development of athletic fields. Genesee Community College, which is owned by the County, is constructing a new multi-purpose synthetic field facility and also upgrading its diamond fields with an expected completion date in the spring of 2010. Although the athletic fields are not available for a limited time during construction, they will be open for outside user groups to play on in the future. The



extent to which the needs of user groups can be accommodated on these new fields will need to be monitored once they are available for use. Private Parcels

In addition to public land, it may be appropriate to explore different incentives and options that may induce private land owners to donate or sell land at a fair and reasonable cost to the City or the Town for the purpose of developing athletic field facilities. Private investment for the development of sport fields should also be encouraged through collaboration and partnerships. Options could also include leasing agreements or benefits to private developers for building indoor training or outdoor athletic facilities for year round use. Existing vacant, abandoned or foreclosed properties should be inventoried. The properties should be grouped and organized according to the proximity to any existing park properties or school district properties. The purpose of this would be to track potential properties that could become available for acquisition in the future for development for playing fields and other recreational activities.


IMPLEMENTATION

STRATEGY


IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

Recommended Action Plan

The recommended actions outlined below are part of an initial strategy that has been developed to help meet the needs of sport field users in the Batavia community. These actions are presented as “next steps” and are part of an ongoing effort to improve the quantity and quality of athletic fields for everyone. Although the actions are in a recommended sequence, several could be undertaken simultaneously depending on available funding and resources. More than likely, the recommended actions will be implemented in multiple phases and some will be ongoing. It is important to remember that the priority or order in which the tasks are undertaken could be modified or expedited if certain opportunities or changes were to occur that would have a material impact on a particular action, such as available funding or available space. Therefore, the School District, Town, City and members of the community must remain flexible and open minded during times of transition to ensure that all needs are met over time.

1.

Recommended Action:

Organize Sport Field Implementation Team

Responsible Organization(s):

The Batavia City School District, Town of Batavia, City of Batavia, Field User / Stakeholder Group, Other community members

Purpose of Action:

Unify the process of decision making regarding the development, improvement, management and maintenance of athletic fields. Improve efficient communication among involved team members and the community. Team would be expected to make recommendations regarding issues such as public awareness and education, field safety and security, field complaint procedures, private/corporate sponsorship and community festivals/campaigns for promoting field sport activities.

Expected Time frame:

Task should begin within three months and be ongoing.



2.

Recommended Action:

Collaborate with private land owners / groups to develop additional sport fields within the Town and the City.


The Town of Batavia, City of Batavia and Private land owners

Purpose of Action:

Identify locations for the development of new athletic fields for the Batavia community. Reduce the demand on school athletic fields.


Within one year, review options for development of three to six multi-purpose rectangular fields. In two years review options for additional fields to meet the anticipated number of fields needed, including baseball diamonds and a tournament complex.

3.

Recommended Action:

Develop the North Street Extension Property as a multi-purpose field site. Site design should include the potential of integrating adjacent properties to create a high quality passive and active recreation area.


Batavia City School District, City of Batavia and private property owners.

Purpose of Action:

To reduce the demand on other existing school fields and to capitalize on a site that has multiple benefits and will be less expensive to develop than other options. To take advantage of a location that is accessible for students / families in the City School District.


This action should be implemented in phases. Phase one should be started this year depending on approval and funding.



4.

Recommended Action:

Develop a master plan for all City Parks with a focus on athletic fields and recreation facilities. Specific attention should focus on Williams Park, Kibbe Park and Lions Park. Review layouts of fields and other park amenities at all locations with the option of adding and/or expanding fields. Assess and prioritize needed improvements and upgrades to existing field amenities.


City of Batavia

Purpose of Action:

To develop a site analysis of City parks with the particular purpose of determining if additional sport fields or practice field areas can be accommodated. Consideration should be given to the potential to reconfigure and/or move fields from one location to another. Information will support decisions regarding proposed improvements to amenities and accessibility of restroom facilities at all locations.


Task should be implemented during the next twelve to eighteen months with completion targeted for 2-3 years based on approval and funding.

5.

Recommended Action:

Evaluate and discuss the maintenance and management arrangements for the Cedar Street Fields.


City of Batavia, Genesee County and Field User Groups

Purpose of Action:

To clarify and determine the existing and future long term implications of this site being utilized for rectangular sport fields. Discussion would involve the possibility of any site improvements and/or addition of field amenities.


The task should be completed within one year to assess the future use of this site.



6.

Recommended Action:

Monitor and record the frequency and number of field user groups utilizing sport fields at Genesee Community College.


Genesee Community College, Town of Batavia and Genesee County

Purpose of Action:

To determine if the athletic field facilities at GCC, including amenities, are meeting the needs of field user groups on a regular basis at a reasonable cost. To evaluate the effectiveness and benefits of the proposed new synthetic turf field as a guide for future improvements to other facilities (for example: Vandetta Stadium or Batavia High School)


Task should be ongoing and begin once the current construction project is completed and user groups are involved.

7.

Recommended Action:

Develop a corrective plan for improvements to the female varsity softball diamond at the Batavia High School. Improvements would include, but not be limited to such amenities as permanent outfield fencing, dugouts and a scoreboard. Please refer to the Field Inventory data for Batavia High School for more details (Appendix A).



Purpose of Action:

Bring the school district into compliance regarding potential violation of Title IX legislation. The action is supported by recent legal advice based on documentation of similar cases and the interpretation of the law. Purpose is to add and/or upgrade amenities to the female varsity softball diamond that are comparable to ones currently existing for the male varsity baseball team at Dwyer Stadium.


Planning task should be started within thirty to sixty days with improvements to be completed by the beginning of the 2010 spring softball season. Based on cost, parts of the proposed action could potentially be completed in phases.



8.

Recommended Action:

Develop a cost estimate and schedule for the potential installation of synthetic turf on the primary game field area at Vandetta Stadium. In addition, research and obtain references from high schools in the region that have installed synthetic turf fields. Review other options and associated costs of improving field surface (for example; adding drainage and improving soil conditions).



Purpose of Action:

Acquire knowledge of the cost and specific benefits of installing a synthetic field at Vandetta Stadium. Gain understanding of experiences from other high schools in the region related to the addition of a synthetic turf field. This information is beneficial for future decision making.


Task should be started in the next three to six months.

9.

Recommended Action:

Research the potential costs and benefits (efficiency) of a large multi-use sport field site for hosting / playing sport tournaments.


City of Batavia, Town of Batavia, Genesee County and Community members

Purpose of Action:

To evaluate potential economic and community benefits to Batavia and Genesee County. The research should evaluate the trend of field sport tourism and the feasibility of the Batavia community taking advantage of its central location to host sport tournaments.


The task should be implemented based on approval and availability of funds. This is more long term and should be considered within 3-5 years.


FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES


FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Generating additional financing to upgrade and/or construct new facilities for field sports is a challenging yet necessary undertaking. It will be important to phase out some projects over years, while some will require a more immediate response. In addition, funding will more than likely not come from one specific source; but rather a comprehensive approach will be necessary for projects to be successful. Although state and federal government funding is limited, there are some opportunities for financial assistance. Proposed improvements will need to be rated and prioritized to assist in making decisions regarding the timing of the projects. There are new grant programs that are introduced periodically that may apply to certain projects related to athletic field facilities that should be reviewed. It is important to develop relationships amongst the different levels of government to advocate for grants and funding for outdoor sport field development.

State Funded Programs

Environmental Protection Fund (EPF)

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) provides grant assistance for parks and recreational facilities through the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). The EPF is a matching grant program that can be used by municipalities or non-profit organizations for the acquisition or development of recreational projects. Applications are typically received one time each year and approved projects are required to be completed within five years from the date of the award.

Website - http://nysparks.state.ny.us/grants/

Local Government Efficiency (LGE) Grant Program

The Local Government Efficiency (LGE) Grant Program is administered by the New York State Department of State. The program was established to provide incentives for counties, cities, towns, villages, school districts and other boards and districts to work together to provide services on a shared or cooperative basis and to promote consolidations, mergers and dissolutions. The Efficiency Implementation Grant requires two or more municipalities to join together in an activity that can achieve financial savings. The grant amounts cannot exceed $200,000 per municipality with a total amount not to exceed $1 million. For the current program year, the State Budget has allocated just over $29 million for grant and implementation activities. It is expected that guidelines for applications for the fall of 2009 will be announced in the near future.

Website - http://www.dos.state.ny.us/lgss


http://nysparks.state.ny.us/grants/

http://www.dos.state.ny.us/lgss


Federally Funded Programs

Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)

The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is a program administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior with funding sources coming from The National Park Service. It was established by Congress in 1964 to create parks and open spaces, protect wilderness, wetlands, and refuges, preserve wildlife habitat, and enhance recreational opportunities. The LWCF is available for outdoor recreational facilities for municipalities and the program is administered by the NYSOPRHP. State funds are eligible to match the fund.

Website - http://nysparks.state.ny.us/grants/

Private Funding Opportunities

Baseball Tomorrow Fund

The Baseball Tomorrow Fund (BTF) is a joint initiative between Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association that was established in 1999. The mission of BTF is to “promote and enhance the growth of youth participation in baseball and softball throughout the world by funding programs, fields, coaches' training, and the purchase of uniforms and equipment to encourage and maintain youth participation in the game.”

Grants are designed to be sufficiently flexible to enable applicants to address needs unique to their communities. The funds are intended to finance a new program, expand or improve an existing program, undertake a new collaborative effort, or obtain facilities or equipment. BTF provides grants to non-profit and tax-exempt organizations in both rural and urban communities. BTF awards an average of 40 grants per year totaling more than $1.5 million annually. The average grant amount is approximately $50,000.

Website - http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/community/btf.jsp?content=grant_process

US Soccer Foundation

The US Soccer Foundation provides annual Program and Field Grant awards to qualified organizations. Since 1995, nearly $25 million dollars in cash, equipment, and services have been awarded through the annual grants program. The Foundation's support has benefited more than 500 grantees, covering all 50 states, and has served the entire range of soccer communities from small local clubs to the U.S. Soccer Federation.


http://nysparks.state.ny.us/grants/

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/community/btf.jsp?content=grant_process


The Annual Program and Field Grants also includes a Field and Synthetic Surface Field Grant. There is also an opportunity to apply for the Planning Grants Initiative, which helps develop concept plans for soccer field construction projects. Website – http://www.ussoccerfoundation.org

NFL Youth Football Fund (YFF)

In 1998, the NFL and NFL Players Association (NFLPA) formed the NFL Youth Football Fund (YFF), which is a non-profit foundation which supports football at the youth level and promotes positive youth development. Through the YFF, hundreds of thousands of youngsters have been given the opportunity to learn the game of football, get physically fit, and stay involved in productive after-school activities with adult mentors. The YFF also provides youth football participants with safe and accessible places to play, as well as programs and initiatives that address the importance of proper coaching, academics, health and safety and life skills development. The NFL Grassroots program is funded by the NFL Youth Football Fund (YFF). Since 1998, the NFL Grassroots program has provided more than $17 million to help community organizations build or rebuild youth fields in more than 40 cities in NFL markets, typically in neighborhoods where funding sources are few and far between. Website - http://www.nflyff.org/

The Women’s Sports Foundation

The Women’s Sports Foundation grant process has basically one concrete objective and that is to provide access for girls to participate in sport and physical activity regardless of their background or financial ability. Grants are awarded to girl-serving organizations who strive to provide diverse, underserved populations of girls from ages eight to eighteen with a way to get involved in sport and physical activity.

A current awards program named “Go Girl Go!” was created to give girls access to physical activity. The program rewards high school girls for taking the lead by inspiring other girls to participate in sports and physical activity. Teams must lead their own team project that will inspire other girls in their communities to become physically active. A total of $50,000 in grants (20 awards at $2,500 each) will be awarded in recognition of the outstanding efforts of 20 teams throughout the country and can be used for uniforms, travel, equipment and more.

Website - http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/


http://www.ussoccerfoundation.org/site/c.gpLPJQOpHkE/b.2763647/k.9FBC/Grant_Programs.htm

http://www.nflyff.org/

http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/


Other Potential Resources

The Trust for Public Land

The Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national, nonprofit, land conservation organization that conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, community gardens, historic sites, rural lands, and other natural places. The TPL offers assistance to communities to structure, negotiate, and complete land transactions that create parks, playgrounds, and protected natural areas.

Private Giving

Several communities have developed a gift giving and corporate sponsorship program that encourages individuals, groups and businesses to contribute financially towards the development and /or maintenance of existing and future field sport facilities.


APPENDIX A

MAP

LOCATIONS OF EXISTING ATHLETIC FIELDS ....... 57

FIELD INVENTORY BATAVIA HIGH SCHOOL ................................... 58

VANDETTA STADIUM ....................................... 60

JOHN KENNEDY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL .............. 62

BATAVIA MIDDLE SCHOOL ............................... 64

NORTH STREET EXTENSION PROPERTY .............. 66

MacARTHUR PARK ........................................... 68

DWYER STADIUM ............................................ 70

WILLIAMS PARK ............................................. 72

KIBBE PARK ................................................... 74

FARRELL PARK ................................................ 76

LIONS PARK ................................................... 78

CEDAR STREET FIELDS .................................... 80

GENESEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE ....................... 82

NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL FIELDS ................. 84

DRAFT: Month, X, 2009

Batavia Athletic Field AnalysisLocations of Existing Athletic Fields

I-90

Oak

Bank

Vine

Cre

ek

Park

Main

Pearl

Stat

e

East

Ros

s

Elm

Swan

Ced

ar

East Main

Alex

ande

r

Rive

r

Ellicott

Spru

ce

North

Union

Lyon

Richmond

Libe

rty

Jack

son

Federal

Clinton

Trac

y

Otis

College

Law

Sum

mit

Bank

Stre

et

Lewiston

Lehi

gh

Ellicott Street

Shep

ard

Trum

bull

Rose

Naram

ore

Washington

School

Burke

Bogu

e

Har

vest

er

Dewe

y

Hut

chin

s

Buell

Hart

Vern

on

Redf

ield

Alva

Treadeasy

Veterans Memorial

Evan

s

Garden

Mill

Clif

ton

Cha

ndle

rVero

na

Woo

drow

Kibb

e

Florence

Main Street

Commerce

Fran

klin

Waln

ut

Sumner

Roos

evelt

Orle

ans

Porte

r

Arena

Maple

Wia

rd

Mix

James

Pros

pect

Gat

eway

Denio

Cherry

North

Poi

nte

Stat

e St

reet

Mon

tcla

ir

Ganson

Central

Willi

ams

Lewi

s

Edwards

Man

hatta

n

Cen

ter

Cone Dorman

Apollo

Thom

as

Evergreen

Northern

King

sbur

y

Noonan

Lown

Edgewood

Sene

ca

War

ren

Chase Park

Howard

Fordham

Linw

ood

Holla

nd

Wood

Jeffe

rson

Broo

klyn

Wal

ker

Webster

Pick

thor

n Douglas

Trojan

Chestnut

Morton

Elba

Elm

woo

d

Clinton Street

Hol

mes

Hall

South Main Street

Hillside

Macarthur

Colonial

Wade

Hew

itt

Spen

cer

Walden Creek

Hyd

e P

ark

Mas

se

Jero

me

Willow

Grandview

Batavia

Dow

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Locations of Existing Athletic Fields:

1 = Batavia High School 2 = Vandetta Stadium 3 = John Kennedy Elementary School 4 = Batavia Middle School 5 = North Street Extension Property 6 = MacArthur Park and Dwyer Stadium 7 = Williams Park 8 = Kibbe Park 9 = Farrell Park10 = Lions Park11 = Cedar Street Fields12 = Genesee Community College13 = Notre Dame High School Fields

1

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0 0.5 1 Miles

12

Ownership Key


City of Batavia


Athletic Field Name / Location: Batavia High School Owner / Address: Batavia School District / 260 State Street Size: Sport field area is approximately 8 acres +/- Sports: Baseball (high school, adult-male, occasional use by ND High School), Softball (high school, occasional use by ND High School), Soccer (high school), Lacrosse (high school)

Field Type Number of Fields

Overall Quality

Existing Amenities


1 Good Backstop, Baseline fencing, Player benches, Field lining, Restroom facilities

Diamond: Softball 1 Good Backstop, Baseline fencing, Player benches, Field lining, Restroom facilities, Concession stand

Rectangular-Full size: Soccer / Lacrosse

1 Good Field lining, Restroom facilities, Concession stand

Rectangular-Practice: Lacrosse / Soccer

Varies Fair Restroom facilities

User Group Issues / Concerns:

Practice field area (lacrosse / soccer) overlaps the outfield areas for the softball and

baseball fields, leading to safety concerns and overcrowding issues;

Parts of the practice field area have poor drainage and therefore are frequently wet,

especially in the spring and after heavy rain;

Visiting teams for baseball field park alongside the road and into the grass area;

Concession stand for soccer and lacrosse field is a simple shed with electrical access;

Baseball field is too far away to utilize concession stand.

User Group Recommended Improvements:

Build proper dugouts and equipment storage areas (baseball and softball);

Install outfield fences (baseball and softball);

Install scoreboards (baseball and softball);

New concession stand to support multiple teams (all fields);

Install additional fencing (approximately ten feet) on both end lines of soccer/lacrosse

field for safety to spectators/parking lot;

Improve drainage in practice field area and both diamond outfields;

Update electrical supply and relocate outdoor outlets in close proximity to diamonds.


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Athletic Field Name / Location: Vandetta Stadium Owner / Address: Batavia School District / 120 Richmond Avenue Size: Sport field area is approximately 8 acres +/- Sports: Football (high school), Softball (high school - JV), Lacrosse, Soccer, Track*


Overall Quality

Existing Amenities

Diamond: Softball 1 Good Field lining, Equipment storage, restroom facilities, player benches/dugouts

Rectangular: Football 1 Fair to Good

Same as above; plus special field drainage, lighted field, concession stand, bleachers, locker/shower rooms, press box

Rectangular-Practice: Football, Lacrosse

Varies Fair Practice field N/A

Track* 1 Good Same as Football


Parking is insufficient when multiple events are scheduled;

Scheduling conflicts occur between night soccer games and night football games;

Scheduling conflicts occur between track meets and football practice field;

The football practice field area is overused due to lack of space;

The fields are well maintained.


Replace primary game field area with synthetic turf to accommodate extra

game/practice space for youth football and other sport teams (soccer, lacrosse);

Update locker rooms;

Expand press box area;

Update restrooms.

* Additional Note(s):

Assessment of track facilities was not in the scope of work. It is important to understand the impact of scheduling track meets/practices with other field sports that utilize the stadium.


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Athletic Field Name / Location: John Kennedy Elementary School Owner / Address: Batavia School District / 166 Vine Street Size: Sport field area is approximately 9 acres +/- Sports: Soccer (modified male & female, youth league), Lacrosse (modified male) Baseball (modified male, Little League and adult league/practices)


Overall Quality

Existing Amenities

Diamond: Baseball - official size

2 Poor to Fair

Backstop, Field Lining, Restrooms, Benches

Diamond: Baseball – Little League size

1 Fair Backstop, Field Lining, Restrooms, Benches

Rectangular-Full size: Soccer

2 Fair Field Lining, Restrooms, Portable goals

Rectangular-Practice: Soccer, Lacrosse

Varies by size / age

Fair Restrooms


Scheduling conflicts occur between outside user groups and the school district;

The location and orientation of the fields causes safety concerns when two or more

games and/or practices are scheduled at the same time;

Having soccer goalposts in outfield and soccer games along baseball fields are a strong

risk for injuries;

Little League size baseball field is used for softball and baseball games;

Residential areas in outfield are in close proximity of baseballs hit during adult baseball

practice;

Fields are almost never available for a whole days worth of baseball games due to

soccer fields being used.


Add player benches and equipment storage areas (baseball & softball);

Add some type of netting or fences in outfield (adult baseball);

Skin the infield of the youth baseball field (softball).

Additional Note(s):

Overlay fields for soccer are located in the baseball / softball outfields.


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Athletic Field Name / Location: Batavia Middle School Owner / Address: Batavia School District / 96 Ross Street Size: Sport field area is approximately 1 acre +/- Sports: Softball (modified), Soccer/Lacrosse (modified)


Overall Quality

Existing Amenities

Diamond: Softball 1 Fair Field lining, Equipment storage & Restroom facilities

Rectangular-Practice: Soccer / Lacrosse

1 Fair Field lining, Equipment storage & Restroom facilities


Softball field overlaps with practice field area leading to safety concerns and overcrowding issues;

Physical constraints limits field expansion on this site.


Add player benches (softball);

Add new backstop (softball);

Some site leveling (softball & lacrosse).

Additional Note(s):

School construction project lasted approximately two years, which limited and/or eliminated the use of the athletic fields for outside user groups;

Building construction has been completed;

The softball field was recently “skinned” (grass infield removed) and will be used for games and practices;

Practice field area had some site leveling after construction;

In the fall of 2009, the practice field area is anticipated to be used for modified male and female soccer teams.


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Athletic Field Name / Location: North Street Extension Property Owner / Address: Batavia School District / North Street Size: Total parcel is 12.5 acres Sport: Lacrosse, Soccer (youth)


Overall Quality

Existing Amenities

Rectangular-Practice: Lacrosse, Soccer

Varies based on size / age group

Poor Field Lining


North Street Extension Property is not considered an existing athletic field area;

Playing area is not level or groomed;

Volunteers have not been allowed to improve the field;

While the overall area is large enough, the level area is insufficient for one group let

alone two or three to use it;

Very limited gravel parking area;

Field area drains well and typically is usable early in the spring.


Level field;

Groom and provide maintenance;

Add additional amenities, specifically a restroom, storage area and field lining;

Enhance and enlarge the parking area.

Additional Note(s):

A professional consultant prepared a study of the North Street Property in 2002;

A professional consultant prepared a traffic study for the property in 2002;

A preliminary grading plan for the site was prepared in 2007.


Field Location: North Street Extension Property

Approximate Property Lines

Approximate Practice Field Area (Lacrosse)

Approximate Practice Field Area (Soccer)

Image Source: http://www.co.genesee.ny. 67


Athletic Field Name / Location: MacArthur Park Owner / Address: City of Batavia / State Street Size: Sport field area is approximately 4.5 acres +/- Sports: Baseball (Batavia Little League and YMCA – Challenger Baseball Program)


Overall Quality

Existing Amenities

Diamond: Baseball – Little League size 2 Fair to

Good Field lining, Scoreboard, Equipment storage, Benches/dugouts, Concession stand, Restroom facilities, Bleachers

Diamond: Baseball – practice field 2 Poor to

Fair Restrooms, Benches


Doors should be locked to protect field from vandalism;

Parking is insufficient for this field;

The YMCA provides maintenance and improvements to the practice fields for the

Challenger Baseball Program (paint benches; add dirt to field, etc.).


Build new restrooms (anticipated by field user group to be built this year);

Upgrade and expand parking areas.

Additional Note(s):

Genesee Wyoming YMCA uses minor field and practice fields for Challenger Baseball

Program on Sundays from June to August.


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Athletic Field Name / Location: Dwyer Stadium Owner / Address: City of Batavia / State Street Size: Stadium area is approximately 7.5 acres +/- Sport: Baseball (College – GCC, High School – Batavia and Notre Dame)


Overall Quality

Existing Amenities

Diamond: Baseball – official size

1

Good

Field lining, Equipment storage, restroom facilities, player dugouts, special field drainage, lighted field, concession stand, bleachers, locker/shower rooms, press box


N/A


No recommendations given at this time

Additional Note(s):

Batavia City School District renews an annual contract for the male varsity baseball team to utilize the stadium. The baseball team has a long history of playing at Dwyer Stadium (approximately twenty five years or longer);

If scheduling permits, Dwyer Stadium is currently available for home baseball games only for GCC, Batavia High School varsity team and the Notre Dame High School varsity team. If hosting sectional playoffs are an option for the high school teams, Dwyer Stadium would potentially be available.


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Athletic Field Name / Location: Williams Park Owner / Address: City of Batavia / Pearl Street Size: Total park area is 21 acres +/- Sports: Softball (youth female, adult female), Baseball (JV/modified - Notre Dame High School)


Overall Quality

Existing Amenities


1 Fair Benches, Restroom facilities, Dugouts, Bleachers, Lights

Diamond: Softball 1 Fair Benches, Restroom facilities


Softball field is acceptable as a practice field by field user groups



Additional Note(s):

Potential expansion of park to the south


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Athletic Field Name / Location: Kibbe Park Owner / Address: City of Batavia / Kibbe Avenue Size: Total park area is 9 + acres Sports: Softball (adult-female), Rugby, Football (youth)


Overall Quality

Existing Amenities

Diamond: Softball 1 Fair Lighted field, Equipment storage, Benches, Restroom facilities, Bleachers

Rectangular-Practice: Rugby, Football

Varies based on size / age group

Fair Restroom facilities


Restrooms are not always unlocked for field user groups;

Scheduling conflicts occur between football and softball teams;

For maintenance, the City mows the fields and puts benches out. The softball

organization outsources or provides the remainder of field preparation.


Improve drainage;

Add concession/refreshment stand;

Add storage areas for equipment;

Improve restroom facilities.

Additional Note(s):

Limited expansion to the south due to proximity along Tonawanda Creek and wetland

area;

The majority of the park is in a one hundred year flood plain;

The park is adjacent to other City owned vacant property to the north.


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Athletic Field Name / Location: Farrell Park Owner / Address: City of Batavia / Otis Street Size: Total park area is 4 acres Sport: Soccer (youth league)


Overall Quality

Existing Amenities

Rectangular – Practice: Soccer

1 Fair Restroom


Only one field at this location;

Physical limitations for field expansion.



Additional Note(s):

N/A


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Athletic Field Name / Location: Lions Park Owner / Address: City of Batavia / Edwards & Cedar Streets Size: Total park area is 9 + acres Sports: Softball (youth-female), Soccer (youth), Football (youth)


Overall Quality

Existing Amenities

Diamond: Softball

1

Good

Field lining, Scoreboard, Equipment storage, Benches/Dugouts, Concession stand, Restroom facilities, Bleachers

Rectangular - Full size: Soccer

2

Fair Field lining, Restroom facilities, Portable goals

Rectangular - Practice: Soccer, Football

Varies by size / age group

Fair Restroom facilities


Parking area is limited and insufficient, especially during heavy use times;

Scheduling for this field is done on a first come, first serve basis;

Scheduling conflicts have occurred between football and soccer teams;

The softball league maintains the softball field for the City (mows grass, lines field,

etc.).


Replace outfield softball fence and relocate back about twenty three feet (based on

cost/affordability);

Improve parking areas.

Additional Note(s):

Rectangular full size and practice fields are utilized by both soccer and football leagues/groups.


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Athletic Field Name / Location: Cedar Street Fields Owner / Address: Genesee County & City of Batavia Size: Sport field area is approximately 6 acres +/- Sports: Soccer (youth)


Overall Quality

Existing Amenities

Rectangular-Full size: Soccer

2 Fair Portable goals

Rectangular-Practice: Soccer

Varies Fair None


The only maintenance provided for the fields is mowing (by the County);

Fields are used for practices and games (games consist of smaller sized teams);

There is currently a verbal agreement with the County to play at this location;

Funding issues with Genesee County in 2009 have limited the extent of the mowing

area and the frequency of mowing will be reduced to once every two weeks;

Fields are located on top of City water wells, which is the reason the City does not

allow the fields to be watered or fertilized;

Field area along private road on County property is uneven.


Fields need to be fertilized and re-leveled

Additional Note(s):

Fields appear to be located on City and County owned property;

Genesee Amateur Soccer Association installed natural turf on these fields approximately 10 years ago.


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Athletic Field Name / Location: Genesee Community College Owner / Address: County of Genesee / Assemblyman R. Stephen Hawley Drive Size: Sport field area is approximately 29 acres +/- Sports: Soccer (youth and ND High School), Lacrosse, Rugby, Baseball (occasional use with ND High School and Batavia High School), Softball Special Note:

GCC is constructing a new multi-purpose synthetic field facility that is expected to begin in the spring of 2009 with an anticipated completion date targeted for spring of 2010. Project includes new dugouts at both baseball and softball facilities as well as new fencing and a scoreboard at the softball diamond.


Overall Quality

Existing Amenities

Diamond: Baseball -official size

1

Good

Special field drainage, Bleachers, Benches/dugouts, Field lining, Fencing, Scoreboard

Diamond: Softball 1 Good Special field drainage, Bleachers, Benches/dugouts, Field lining

Rectangular-Full size: Soccer, Lacrosse, Rugby

4

Fair

Special field drainage, Field lining

Rectangular-Practice Soccer, Lacrosse

Varies by size / age group

N/A None


Varsity & modified lacrosse teams unable to use fields at GCC (no longer available); Soccer teams / leagues unable to use fields in 2009 due to construction; however can

return in 2010; Restrooms are not always accessible and are not conveniently located relative to field

locations; Multi-purpose fields are uneven, have bare spots and are not well maintained; Due to field locations being wide open and on a higher elevation the wind can often be

detrimental to playing conditions (affects communication and ball handling); Scheduling conflicts have occurred between rugby and soccer teams; Open grass areas at GCC are conducive to setting up temporary multi-purpose fields; In general, outside user groups pay for paint for lining fields and GCC provides the

maintenance.


Improve grass multi-purpose fields by grading, rolling, over seeding & watering.


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mu

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Athletic Field Name / Location: Notre Dame High School Owner / Address: Diocese of Buffalo / 73 Union Street Size: Sport field area is approximately 5 acres Sports: Soccer, Football, Softball


Overall Quality

Existing Amenities

Diamond: Softball Not skinned

1 Poor N/A

Rectangular: Soccer, Football

1 Fair N/A


The Genesee YMCA uses the softball field for a pre-school T-Ball program;

Notre Dame High School currently does not allow outside user groups to use their football/soccer field. The school is hesitant for fear it will not hold up to overuse.


None given

Additional Note(s):

N/A


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APPENDIX B

SYNTHETIC TURF


Notes on Synthetic Turf

Synthetic turf fields are designed to withstand continuous use from all sports, offering unlimited all-weather playability while maintaining a consistent high-performance surface. A synthetic turf field would significantly extend the amount of time a field is available and therefore would help meet the overall demand of sport field users. In addition, a synthetic field is not susceptible to wet ground conditions that are typical in Batavia in late fall and early spring. It has also been noted that a synthetic turf field might be best for natural turf facilities that suffer weather damage due to long, cold winters. Furthermore, there are opinions that the newest generation of synthetic turf fields is safer than natural turf and will result in fewer injuries.

The main issue facing the school district, as well as the Batavia community, is the initial high cost of installing a synthetic field. It is recommended that a professional consultant who specializes in athletic field surfaces provide a cost estimate and general life expectancy of the materials to be used. It is important to remember to compare installation costs as well as yearly maintenance costs to determine the true overall expenditures for a field. As mentioned earlier (on page 52), additional sources of financial assistance to construct a field are worth exploring. Moreover, it is important to consider that due to its consistent availability, a synthetic turf field can also be a reliable source of rental revenue for schools and communities.

Only after careful consideration of the pros and cons of each type of surface can administrators decide which type of playing field is the best choice for the school district and/or community. Obviously not all fields should be converted to a synthetic playing surface; however, having one or more in the future will take the burden off the remaining natural fields. It is important to emphasize that a premier synthetic turf field that is embraced by members of the community becomes a source of pride for not just the players but the spectators as well.

The table below lists some of the most commonly noted pros and cons that apply to natural and synthetic turf fields and are worth reviewing. Also included is a list of some reports and resources available. The last two reports are compiled by the New York State Department of Conservation (NYSDEC) along with the New York State Department of Health and recently address some of the safety concerns regarding the use of synthetic fields.

As a point of reference, the following website lists almost thirty high schools in New York State alone that have installed synthetic turf fields and many of them are in the upstate area. The purpose of this information is to provide a list of schools that could be potentially contacted in regards to their experience with installing a synthetic field. This report, nor does the consultant, endorse any specific manufacturer or company affiliated with the synthetic turf industry.

Website: http://www.aturf.com/index.php/type_listing/5/


http://www.aturf.com/index.php/type_listing/5/



Pros Cons

Natural Turf

• Less expensive to install than synthetic turf;

• Needs less frequent replacement; • Surface temperature stays cooler in

hot weather

• More expensive and labor intensive to maintain;

• Cannot be used year round due to weather conditions;

• Requires pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers;

• Can be severely impacted by extreme temperatures;

• Should be rested after uses; • Requires water; large

amounts during drought; • Excessive field damage can

occur in inclement weather;

Synthetic Turf

• Field can be used year round; • Lower cost and effort to maintain; • Reduces or eliminates down time for

field (increases amount of teams that can be scheduled);

• Reduces weekly cost of labor and materials to paint field markings;

• Eliminates use of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizer;

• Holds up well in extreme temperatures;

• Eliminates or reduces water usage; • Uses recycled auto tires;

• High initial installation cost; • Eventually needs

replacement; • Surface temperature

increases in hot weather

Additional Reports and Resources:

1. A Guide to Synthetic and Natural Turfgrass for Sports Fields – Selection, Construction and Maintenance Considerations; (2nd Edition). Sports Turf Managers Association; 2008 Website: www.stma.org/

2. The Synthetic Turf Council was founded in 2003 and is a non-profit association dedicated to serving as a resource for reliable information regarding synthetic turf. Website: http://www.syntheticturfcouncil.org/

3. An Assessment of Chemical Leaching, Releases to Air and Temperature at Crumb-Rubber Infilled Synthetic Turf Fields. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation; New York State Department of Health; May 2009. Website: www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8792.html

4. A Study to Assess Potential Environmental Impacts from the Use of Crumb Rubber as Infill Material in Synthetic Turf Fields. Prepared by Ly Lim, Ph.D., P.E., New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. June 2008. Website: www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/46862.html

http://www.stma.org/

http://www.syntheticturfcouncil.org/

http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8792.html

http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/46862.html

august 2009 final draft - batavia city school district · urban and rural areas”. the ultimate...

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