Mustang to Get Artificial Turf
By Bill Kramer, The Daily Oklahoman, The Daily Oklahoman
Dec. 14–MUSTANG — Gophers and other critters soon will be losing ground at Mustang High School.
Football stadium grass will be replaced by an artificial grass surface at Bronco Field before next school year.
The Mustang School Board approved an $875,000 expenditure Monday night to cover the replacement costs. Funds for the artificial surface will come from Mustang’s MAPS for Kids account, which has a balance of nearly $1.8 million.
The Mustang district is one of 23 suburban districts whose boundaries overlap Oklahoma City limits. The schools receive a share of the MAPS for Kids sales tax collections over a seven-year period.
Yukon Athletic Director Mike Workman said officials in his school district also are considering installing an artificial surface at their football stadium.
Workman said district officials have proposed using MAPS for Kids funds, pending board approval. He said Yukon’s football stadium is used by several teams for about three dozen home games.
Charlie Bartrug, Yukon High School’s band director, said an artificial turf field would be a huge boost for the 135-member marching band, which practices on an asphalt-covered visitor’s parking lot near the football stadium.
Annual football field maintenance costs for watering, fertilizing, mowing, striping and edging natural grass fields average between $20,000 and $25,000, said Jim Burkey, Mustang’s district director of construction and bonds.
“You’re not going to be at a point that you’re going to break even,” Burkey said.
Mustang will advertise for competitive bids for various aspects of the artificial turf installation process, which includes substantial drainage improvements.
“The draining system is key to the entire installation,” Burkey said. “You take your time and do the draining system correctly.”
Artificial surfaces are projected to last about 10 years. Burkey said replacement costs would be lessened greatly, because the district would only purchase turf material about the year 2015.
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