Ongoing debate over whether to install artificial turf athletic fields or grass fields at the regional high school dominated the district committee meeting Monday evening.
The Field Fund has begun work at every elementary school on the Vineyard to improve and maintain nontoxic grass fields. This week the fund was honored with an award at the state house.
Negotiations between the regional high school district committee and a group that wants to upgrade and maintain the school playing fields have been fraught with disagreement since June, with key terms of a contract still hanging as of this week.
The high school committee has formally agreed to change tack and pursue a plan to upgrade the playing fields using natural grass. A plan to revamp fields using artificial turf has been postponed indefinitely.
A plan to upgrade the high school playing fields using grass in place of artificial turf hit a snag when school leaders learned that engineering drawings to rebuild the track may not be available as promised.
A controversial plan to revamp the high school playing fields using artificial turf is on hold after a community group unveiled a detailed counter proposal this week to upgrade the fields using all grass instead.
Many Islanders this year have found themselves mired in a debate over the merits of grass versus artificial turf for the high school playing fields. Similar debates have played out across the country.
