Oster Elementary School in Cambrian Park recently completed Phase 1 of extensive renovations to their campus. The school serves the residents of Santa Clara County, California. Phase 1 of the project involved new, portable school rooms and an upgrade to the outside play areas. While the portable classrooms serve the Deaf/Hard of Hearing program at the school, the playground and other outside areas benefit the entire school.
Why They Chose Artificial Turf
When it came to revamping the outside areas of the school, artificial turf was chosen as the overall surface material for the area. With water restrictions in place throughout most of Southern California, the school's decision to go with artificial turf was partly due to environmental concerns and also because of its affordability. The fact that artificial turf requires no maintenance and no water to remain vibrant and ever green, the decision to install it was an extremely ease one to make. Artificial grass also does not require the use of hazardous chemicals to help it maintain its appearance. No fertilizers or weed killers are needed that would cause the area to have to be quarantined for hours after the application.
What Are the Benefits
Aside from the minimal water usage and maintenance requirements, installing artificial turf offers a wide variety of other benefits that adds to its overall value. When it comes to the amount of foot traffic the turf will have to deal with, its durability and ability to resist normal levels of wear and tear will be a distinct advantage for the school over the next few years. Along with its ability to resist every day wear, artificial grass has benefits that many people may not consider, including:
- Will not wear away or form dips under certain pieces of playground equipment, namely slides and swings
- Provides more of a cushion than natural grass/soil or other types of surface materials
- Will not fade or become discolored in bright sunlight
- Will look its best, even in the densest shade
- Won't stain clothes or skin
- Stays the same height no matter what the season or weather conditions
- Will not turn brown during extreme heat or extensive drought conditions
Above all, artificial grass will maintain its natural look and texture for many years to come. When it comes to the property, the school must maintain the grounds with as little funding as possible to ensure other areas of the school has everything that is needed. Artificial turf not only saves money, it also saves time, man hours that could be spent best performing other tasks.
Affordability and Longevity
As was mentioned earlier, affordability is a primary concern with any school system. The cost of artificial turf can seem incredibly expensive at first glance. When you add in the turf's longevity, the numbers gradually begin to become more reasonable. Artificial turf is designed to last anywhere from 15 to 25 years, depending on its quality and how it is used. If you add up the total cost of the turf, installation and the amount of money saved through man-hours and maintenance costs, it actually pays for itself and offers a small return on the original investment.
School systems can look to Oster Elementary in San Jose, California to find out what type of outcome will occur when artificial turf is installed in playgrounds and other outside areas. The decision to install artificial grass is a sound investment for both the school and its students. With less money being spent on maintenance, new programs can be funded and the school can work harder to achieve its future goals when it comes to academic and providing its student with the highest quality education possible.
