Connoisseurs of Seattle area soccer fields know that Miller Playfield is special. It is one of the last of its kind. The sand fields of the Pacific Northwest — adapted for a region where grass fields turn to muck — are disappearing. Beginning in the 1980s with the development of astroturf-type fields that were basically carpet over pavement, Seattle’s playfields have almost completely transitioned to new-fangeled “field turf” that mimics real grass down to the tiny rubber pellets that simulate, yes, dirt. Call it rubbirt. Or rirt.
But just because Miller Playfield’s sand surface represents something increasingly rare does not mean it should be preserved. Playing on Miller Playfield is like trying to advance a ball through a creekbed filled with rocks and pebbly, shifting sands. Your soccer kids are risking their young ankles, your 2nd basemen have learned the hard way how to play the face-threatening bounce of a shot off the hard-scrabble surface.
All of this is about to change. Seattle Parks is hosting a public meeting to discuss the next steps in upgrading Miller Playfield.
Seattle Parks and Recreation will host a public meeting to present and discuss concepts for replacing the existing field surface at Miller Playfield on Wednesday, Nov., 5, 2008 from 6:30 – 8 p.m. at the Miller Community Center.
The project is to upgrade the field surface by replacing the existing all-weather sand/silt surface with synthetic turf similar to the surface at Bob by Morris Playfield. Miller Community Center is located at 330 19th Ave. E. Planning and design is funded in 2008 and Parks has requested construction funding in the 2009 budget.
The community requested this project through the Community Capital Suggestion Process. The public is encouraged to attend and provide direction on the preferred synthetic turf field surface. The field currently supports soccer and two softball fields, and Parks is considering a request to include field markings for both women’s and men’s lacrosse.
There are choices in synthetic turf field surface? Also, not sure the turf discussion will solve this problem. While we’re concerned about the powerful lacrosse lobby’s influence here (just because you were helmets doesn’t make you better than everybody else), we’re looking forward to many CHS pick-up soccer games in the future.
