Artificial Turf Increasing Alternative to Natural Grass

A $1.9 million renovation project at Shorty Garcia Park in Union City, Calif. aims to make the six-acre site among the best sports fields in the area. Construction began during midsummer to resurface the existing grass field with synthetic turf, construct initial settings for an outdoor lighting system and upgrade the concession stand. The renovation of the 4-year-old park includes the construction of two full-size soccer fields using FieldTurf, an artificial turf that?EUR??,,????'???s made with ground-up tennis shoes and recycled tires.

Not only is the artificial grass cushioned by a "soil" base of sand and rubber, which reduces maintenance costs and improves field conditions, it also allows 24-hour usage of the park. Proponents of the new turf say it?EUR??,,????'???s more realistic than AstroTurf, safer to play on and easier to take care of than grass.