Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
Providing a Soccer Superfund Grant to the Town of Chapel Hill for conversion of softball <br /> fields at Cedar Falls Park to a synthetic surface soccer field. <br /> Providing the remaining soccer superfund money to Chapel Hill for this project would fall in the <br /> category of matching grants within the BOCC approved Soccer Superfund Policy and <br /> Guidelines. Technically, the Board would have to return the funds to the Soccer Superfund, <br /> and then allocate them to Chapel Hill. If the $625,000 remaining funding were made available, <br /> Chapel Hill would be required to match this funding. The majority of additional guidelines or <br /> conditions within the Soccer superfund Guidelines document could most likely be met if an <br /> application were to be submitted by the Town. <br /> Key Issues, Questions and Potential Benefits <br /> There are three issue categories that must be addressed to implement this idea: <br /> 1. Available funding <br /> 2. Town Approval Issues <br /> 3. Health Issues <br /> Questions / Issues <br /> Available funding - What would the source of funding be for the amount above remaining <br /> soccer superfund money ($625,000) needed for the Smith option? ($250,000-1 field or <br /> $1,050,000-both fields.) Can the grant match be met by the Town of Chapel Hill for the <br /> Cedar Falls option? The 2009 PARTF grant application deadline has past. Chapel Hill <br /> proposes to submit an application with the next cycle. <br /> Town Approval Issues - Would the County receive assurance of a commitment to timely <br /> development of the project by either jurisdiction? Would permitting and required studies add to <br /> Orange County's cost? In 2007 Carrboro was reluctant to cover/waive required fees and <br /> studies for the Smith project. Chapel Hill proposes engineering be completed in-house and <br /> states that they are not required to pay their own fees. <br /> Health/Safety Issues - Last spring, an alarm was raised throughout the country regarding <br /> certain health risks associated with synthetic turf products. A study of several fields was <br /> conducted in New Jersey, and two were found to be potentially hazardous due to the age of <br /> the fields. Over time, the recycled rubber tire infill used breaks down into smaller particulate <br /> matter, which can be inhaled or ingested. In addition, a study conducted by the Connecticut <br /> Agricultural Experimental Station concluded that the tire crumbs release chemical compounds <br /> into the air and ground water. Many studies conducted by the CDC and others have <br />