Dear Editor,
Writing in regards to your most recent issue with the front-page spotlight on the field conditions at Crows Woods. I’m glad this is getting the exposure it needs as it’s been a long-time problem as the article describes. And though I agree with much of the article, really the only way to solve the problem is to provide more turf fields.
The challenge is the amount of play the grass fields get across all/many of the youth and high school sports programs in town. On one hand it’s a great problem to have as we have so many kids playing and enjoying a variety of sports. On the other, giving the grass fields enough rest to sustain playable conditions becomes an almost impossible task. I do understand the landfill settling issue at Crows Woods, but if turf is not possible there, how about converting one or two of the other grass fields in town – Scout, Centennial, Lizzy Haddon, Tatem, Central School, Green Acres, Radnor?
This way many of the practices could shift to those fields leaving Crows grass and using them mostly for games. I’m sure this/these have been looked into, and it probably brings up other issues (parking, lighting, environmental, etc.), but the bottom line is this town given the amount of youth and high school programs and players needs to have more than one turf field.
Dean DeCencio
Haddonfield Resident
