Environment
& Health

We are committed to building an athletic facility with safe and sustainable materials that meets the highest standards of player safety and durability. For the soccer field, we plan to use an innovative three-layer infill system composed of sand, a mixture of sand and recycled cryogenic rubber, and a top dressing of CoolPlay, a mineral composite of calcium carbonate. This will provide a stable and safe playing surface, with a vertical drain system that ensures the infill will stay in place.

Synthetic turf is a low-maintenance and attractive alternative to grass. It removes the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides and will save up to 1.6 million gallons of water per year, a significant reduction of water use in our arid region. In addition, we have altered our site design to include a detention pond next to the field, which will allow us to continually monitor water runoff and ensure there is no pollution of our watershed.

While we have researched a wide range of alternative infills including wood chips, cork, corncobs, and various minerals, we have found that the use of these materials may compromise a field’s durability, playing quality, and safety. Many organic infills tend to break down in our climate; unlike rubber, they are also more likely to freeze and form a sheet of ice on the field’s surface, creating hazards for athletes. In addition, many of these alternative infills are light and can result in turf slippage, increasing the risk of player injury.

Studies in both the U.S. and Europe show that playing on synthetic turf does not have an impact on injury rates, infection, chemical exposures, or other health risks. Another study measuring chemical and metal concentrations concluded that synthetic turf fields don’t pose a health risk nor leach into surface water or groundwater.

The design, planning, and construction of the Cimarron Athletic Field are all informed by our commitment to building a first-class facility that is durable, enhances player safety, and minimizes adverse effects on the natural environment.