Artificial Turf

BURBANK — School district board members approved a $1.5-million cash transfer Thursday night from the district’s general fund to a joint account with the city for the construction of new fields at its two high schools. The $14.2-million project will replace fields at Burbank and Burroughs high schools with artificial turf and an all-weather track. Renovations at Burroughs will upgrade stadium seating, bringing it into compliance with Americans with Disability Act requirements.

Burbank Unified and the city created a committee to study the athletic field problems and look at solutions, artificial turf. DOWNTOWN -- The city and the Burbank Unified School District are talking about going artificial. The two entities have put together an oversight committee to look at problems with the high school athletic fields in Burbank. The committee is charged with exploring ways to improve the fields, including possibly replacing grass with artificial turf. The fields, used by students and community members, have proved nearly impossible to keep green throughout the year, Burroughs High School Vice Principal Jay Gudzin sad. One of the best solutions, in his eyes, is artificial turf.

Molly Shore It's not that easy staying green, at least not on the surface of Memorial Field at John Burroughs High School or the playing field at Burbank High School. But that could change if Burbank Unified School District officials move ahead with plans to replace grass fields at both sites with artificial turf. Though it could take up to two years and roughly $2.5 million to replace existing playing surfaces and tracks at both schools, officials hope to have an installation plan in place within a few months.

I was greatly disappointed in your recent editorial ("Burbank school district looking rather artificial," Aug. 8) published in the Burbank Leader regarding the school district's study of artificial turf as a possible alternative playing surface for physical education and high school and community athletic activities. My disappointment is not because you hold an opinion different from mine or that of the members of the district's Athletic Facilities Task Force, but because you failed in your responsibility to your profession and your readers in not researching your topic before forming an opinion and then misinforming and misleading the Burbank community.

BURBANK — City and school officials set foot on Burbank High School’s new artificial turf field Wednesday, getting their first look at a product of their $18-million joint venture. The sight of a sweeping green mat of fake grass, which was part of a larger, three-pronged project, offered a sense of encouragement to the excited officials, who wanted to get an early glimpse of the field, they said. “It’s just impressive when you spend your whole life in Burbank and drive by and all you see is dirt.

CITY HALL — The whistle is blown and the game has begun on joint-use field improvement projects at Burbank and John Burroughs high schools with the school board’s approval of a contract Thursday. Burbank Unified School District board members unanimously approved a contract with architectural firm Adolph Ziemba, AIA & Associates for the designs of the $11.3 million projects that will replace fields at both high schools with artificial turf and all-weather tracks. The City Council approved the pick for this architectural firm July 24. Renovations at Burroughs will also update stadium seating, bringing it into compliance with Americans with Disability Act requirements.

Besides lagging behind the rest of the nation in just about every arena of advanced thought, the Burbank Unified School District has once again shown that it dares to tread where most districts would not dare go -- on artificial turf. What better way to maintain a maintenance-free field than to unfurl and tack down carpets of not-so-lush artificial turf, which has been much maligned as an evil opponent on professional and collegiate sports fields across the country.

BURBANK ? A committee overseeing field renovations at local campuses approved a company Wednesday as the artificial turf brand of choice to lay at Burbank and Burroughs high schools. The $14.2-million joint-use project with the city includes tearing down and rebuilding Memorial Field at John Burroughs High School as well as replacing the grass and dirt at both fields with artificial turf. FieldTurf won out over the other contenders, Sprinturf and Forever Green Athletic Fields, after months of research and testing, said Jan Britz, assistant superintendent of Instructional Services for the Burbank district.

CITY HALL — The Burbank Unified School District may be looking at a nearly $660,000 increase in costs for their fields project this year if board members decide to make more upgrades at Burbank High School. Administrators in the district’s Facilities Services Department and the project’s architectural firm, Adolph Ziemba, AIA, have been working to provide an estimate to the board regarding the high school’s small practice field. The practice field was originally left out of the scope of the $14.2-million joint-use field project the district approved by the district and City Council.

DOWNTOWN — Before embarking on an Alaskan cruise, Fred Baldino took the early-morning rains to mean that his lawn could go the week without water. So the 87-year-old did what city officials for years have been instructing: He shut off his water. But when he and his wife returned to their North Keystone Street home, the lawn had severely dried. “It was so brown that we tried . . . three different kinds of fertilizers,” Baldino said. “And nothing worked.

DOWNTOWN — Before embarking on an Alaskan cruise, Fred Baldino took the early-morning rains to mean that his lawn could go the week without water. So the 87-year-old did what city officials for years have been instructing: He shut off his water. But when he and his wife returned to their North Keystone Street home, the lawn had severely dried. “It was so brown that we tried . . . three different kinds of fertilizers,” Baldino said. “And nothing worked.

BURBANK ? Southern California?s main water supplier will bring back a popular rebate program this month on a first-come, first-serve basis, prompting local utility officials to stress the importance of getting in line early. Funding for the ?SoCal Water$mart? program quickly dried up in May after Southland residents flooded the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California with rebate requests for high-efficiency toilets, clothes washers, artificial turf, climate-response irrigation controllers unique sprinkler heads.

BURBANK — City and school officials set foot on Burbank High School’s new artificial turf field Wednesday, getting their first look at a product of their $18-million joint venture. The sight of a sweeping green mat of fake grass, which was part of a larger, three-pronged project, offered a sense of encouragement to the excited officials, who wanted to get an early glimpse of the field, they said. “It’s just impressive when you spend your whole life in Burbank and drive by and all you see is dirt.

BURBANK — City and school officials set foot on Burbank High School’s new artificial turf field Wednesday, getting their first look at a product of their $18-million joint venture. The sight of a sweeping green mat of fake grass, which was part of a larger, three-pronged project, offered a sense of encouragement to the excited officials, who wanted to get an early glimpse of the field, they said. “It’s just impressive when you spend your whole life in Burbank and drive by and all you see is dirt.

Thumbs up to centennial parade I cannot begin to tell you how wonderfully charming the Burbank High Parade was Sept. 13 (?All the decades represented,? Sept. 17). It was a real cross between ?Mayberry? and ?Happy Days.? I loved it and it even brought tears to my eyes for an America that we no longer have. How much the young people are missing in their search for sophistication and high-tech. It almost made me wish that I was a Bulldog ? sorry, L.A. High Romans. JUDI GLASS Burbank Marriage should be man and woman For as long as I know of, the term ?

CITY HALL — The Burbank Unified School District may be looking at a nearly $660,000 increase in costs for their fields project this year if board members decide to make more upgrades at Burbank High School. Administrators in the district’s Facilities Services Department and the project’s architectural firm, Adolph Ziemba, AIA, have been working to provide an estimate to the board regarding the high school’s small practice field. The practice field was originally left out of the scope of the $14.2-million joint-use field project the district approved by the district and City Council.

BURBANK ? A committee overseeing field renovations at local campuses approved a company Wednesday as the artificial turf brand of choice to lay at Burbank and Burroughs high schools. The $14.2-million joint-use project with the city includes tearing down and rebuilding Memorial Field at John Burroughs High School as well as replacing the grass and dirt at both fields with artificial turf. FieldTurf won out over the other contenders, Sprinturf and Forever Green Athletic Fields, after months of research and testing, said Jan Britz, assistant superintendent of Instructional Services for the Burbank district.

BURBANK — School district board members approved a $1.5-million cash transfer Thursday night from the district’s general fund to a joint account with the city for the construction of new fields at its two high schools. The $14.2-million project will replace fields at Burbank and Burroughs high schools with artificial turf and an all-weather track. Renovations at Burroughs will upgrade stadium seating, bringing it into compliance with Americans with Disability Act requirements.

CITY HALL — The whistle is blown and the game has begun on joint-use field improvement projects at Burbank and John Burroughs high schools with the school board’s approval of a contract Thursday. Burbank Unified School District board members unanimously approved a contract with architectural firm Adolph Ziemba, AIA & Associates for the designs of the $11.3 million projects that will replace fields at both high schools with artificial turf and all-weather tracks. The City Council approved the pick for this architectural firm July 24. Renovations at Burroughs will also update stadium seating, bringing it into compliance with Americans with Disability Act requirements.