Sunday, July 6, 2008

Fake turf can give you heat stroke

It's like walking on hot coals.

Artificial turf installed in city fields can heat up to a blistering 162 degrees even on a mild summer day, a Daily News investigation has found.


Parks' fake grass can reach a scorching 162 degrees

Over two mildly warm days last month, The News took surface temperature readings at five synthetic fields across the city accompanied by NYC Park Advocates, a group that has been critical of the fake grass.

At all five, temperatures at the synthetic fields soared roughly twice as high as at nearby natural grass ones, from a low of 144 degrees at the Greenbelt Recreation Center on Staten Island to a scorching 162 at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens.

When confronted with The News' findings, the Parks Department also conceded high temperatures can be a problem at turf fields.

They said they were in the process of installing signs warning visitors of the dangers at fields across the city.

"The temperatures can get very high during the heat of the day. But people are smart. They are not going to use a place that is uncomfortable to play on," said Liam Kavanagh, first deputy parks commissioner.


Well they don't have a choice but to play on it since you make them apply for a permit in advance, nimrod.

8 comments:

Frank Lloyd Crap said...

We took away grass and put in turf that gets dangerously hot, and its up you to figure out when it is actually safe to use.

Retard logic like this can come ONLY FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT!

Anonymous said...

We know this stuff gets too hot, and it may be toxic too. But we just like it so we're going to keep installing it in place of real grass.

But we're interested in your input, so if you have concerns, please write a letter to the commissioner, then crumple it up and put it in the garbage can to save him the trouble.

Anonymous said...

"When confronted with The News' findings, the Parks Department also conceded high temperatures can be a problem at turf fields."

Benepe knew of this at least in December of 2007. For him to act "surprised" when "confronted" with this info simply demonstrates that he is a dare-faced liar.

In December 2007, Benepe and his Health Department lackey discussed the high temperatures of the turf and the liar said that he would install misters to alleviate the heat.

For him to announce that plan, he had to have known of the dangerous levels of heat long before December 2007. It had been repeatedly discussed in daily newspapers for at least 3 or more years.

Clearly, the "Health" department has far more important duties than preventing heat stroke in athletes. It has to be out closing delis for hanging a salami in a window. It must eliminate the horribly dangerous use of trans fats, and require the posting of calorie counts for all ingredients in fast food stores.

Only when those health concerns are completely taken care of, can heat stroke caused by a city agency be "studied".

After all, there's your money that needs spending so the kickbacks keep rolling in.

Anonymous said...

Listen, what am I supposed to do? My staff doesn't know how to grow weeds so how can I maintain real grass. The artificial stuff looks like the real thing and like the Bloomberg administration, if we say it's good, we believe it and so does most New Yorkers. So there, put that in your pipe and smoke it Crappie!

C said...

How to know you're in Queens....

Pave over every inch of your yard so that it's not only 10-20 degrees hotter, but that summer rain will flood everything. You have the added bonus of being able to park 5-10 cars on your yard from one curb cut.

Remove any additional grass and replace with a toxic & sweltering mess. You have the added benefit of an additional 10-20 degrees, crappy draining, could kill you (if not from heat stroke, then from it's toxins), etc etc

Since when is grass the enemy?

Absorbs rain, keeps it cooler than concrete, pretty, comfortable to sit in, etc etc....

NYC is going to keep ripping it up until they're under 5 feet of water and it's 130 degrees.

Anonymous said...

"The temperatures can get very high during the heat of the day. But people are smart. They are not going to use a place that is uncomfortable to play on," said Liam Kavanagh, first deputy parks commissioner.

I thought the purpose was to encourage people to exercise. Saying people are smart enough not to on a hot field is pretty damn stupid.

Anonymous said...

Stop making fun of Adrian! Don't you losers have anything better to do with your time than pick on Commissioner Benepe! You should thank God that you have a man of his talents and vision.

Anonymous said...

Dottie: Stop your ass kissing and do something good for the boro for once in your life. Stop catering to the Manhattan suits and standup and fight for our fair share of funding.