Photo Credit: Courtesy of Chris Arend Photography
In Anchorage, Alaska, where snow and ice pile up for six months or longer, synthetic surfaces are gaining in popularity. These surfaces are expanding recreational opportunities during a limited playing season for youth, high-school and adult athletes.
Since synthetic fields allow more users to play on them than on comparable natural-grass fields, the former have become the standard in new construction in recent years. With a little help from the community, facilities are swapping worn-out natural turf for resilient, multi-use surfaces.
Managing The Costs
In 2008, the field at Chugiak High School underwent a $1.3-million resurfacing project. The following year, Mulcahy Baseball Stadium converted the infield’s grass and dirt to an artificial surface at a cost of nearly $1 million.