I was just informed that deconstruction and construction of a TPE Turf field on the Vanessa Péan Field Nike #7 will begin on Monday, July 31, 2017. More than 300 signatures have been collected online and on handwritten petitions to keep Nike # 7 a grass field to protect players and the environment from carcinogenic chemicals in our water and soil and dangerous soccer TPE turf heat levels. On July 27 at 12:55 Amy Stephan measured and tested the field temperature of Nike #4 a TPE turf field at 151 degrees while the outside temperature is only 81 in the sun and 75 in the shade.
These actions disregard the fiduciary responsibility of Fairfax County taxpayers and violate their rights to know the environmental impact of a TPE field built in 2012. A new one will cost them more than $1,000,000. They are reckless and do not represent the voters who pay substantial property taxes to live in a healthy safe well water and clean air community in Great Falls.
I plan to take legal action if I do not receive a written guarantee that The Fairfax Park Authority and GSA will not begin construction of a TPE field on Nike # 7 July 31, 2017 without an informed Great Falls resident community vote. GFSA did a forced and careless vote using the GSA Soccer registration software provided by the Turf company which will profit from the conversion to turf from natural grass.
According to Will Simonds, GSA President, 20 percent of the soccer player registries voted. Only 70 percent of them approved of conversion so less than 100 people should not and cannot represent the interest of over 8,000 residents affected by this financial debt and environmental hazards.
I ask the FCPA and Health Department to release to the Great Falls community environmental air water and soil studies done since 2012 on Nike # 4 so the entire community can make an informed decision whether a TPE turf is something they want to take financial and environmental responsibility for. This information should be given to the local papers to publish for the entire community to read before a decision is made to remove the grass Vanessa Péan Field, Nike # 7. Since many residents are traveling in the summer months this should occur in September, not during the summer recess time.
Gail Péan
Great Falls
See the related story by Fallon Forbush on page 3 of the Great Falls Connection or at www.ConnectionNewspapers.com.