Development Draws Praise for Artificial Field Offer

A hill crests in the middle of the splotchy field behind Newton-Lee Elementary School in Ashburn, where Matt Curry's 10-year-old daughter plays soccer. Patches of grass create mounds that are seemingly tall enough to turn an ankle if stepped upon. And that's not the worst of it.

"Look at this rock," said Curry, pressing down on the 6-inch-diameter slab with the ball of his foot. "A child could fall and hit her head on this. This is what our kids play on."

To combat safety concerns like these, as well as the problem of not having enough fields to accommodate a growing number of youth sports teams in Ashburn and Dulles South, Curry, president of the year-old Dulles South Youth Sports, and other parents are putting part of their hopes in, of all places, a housing development.

Being considered by the Board of Supervisors is the 499-home Braddock Village community slated for south of U.S. 50 near South Riding. Opposed by slow-growth advocates because it would add too many homes to the county’s Transition Policy Area, the proposal has caught the attention of area sports teams because of a promise by the developers, the Nicholas/Farkas Joint Venture and John D.M. Crerar Jr., to build a synthetic athletic field for the county.

Parents and coaches say such a field would be a safer alternative to the divots, mounds and knee-scraping stones they contend with on many of the elementary and middle school grass fields teams now use. Also, synthetic fields, made of particles of rubber, supposedly require less maintenance than grass and are usable in rain, meaning fewer games need to be rescheduled. Outside Redskins Park, there are no synthetic fields in Loudoun.

"The common good of this field far outweighs a few extra minutes sitting in traffic," said South Riding resident Steve Bell, one of a half-dozen people who spoke in favor of Braddock Village at the board’s business meeting Dec. 4.

Troy Cromwell, incoming president of the 32-team Ashburn Youth Football League, said “horrible fields” topped the list of a coaches’ survey his league recently conducted. Like Dulles South, his teams play at local elementary and middle schools. "My interest is not who pays for the fields. My interest is to build a superior program,” he said. "We cannot do another year on these same fields. It's just not safe."

County officials acknowledge the benefits of artificial fields. The problem, though, is paying for them. At an average price tag of about $750,000, installing one costs considerably more than simply painting lines on a field of grass. And with a tight budget expected next year, immediate money for artificial fields may be scarce.

"There is no money in the pot to do all this stuff," warned outgoing Supervisor Stephen Snow (R-Dulles), commenting on the overall infrastructure needs of Dulles South.

All the more reason, some Braddock Village supporters say, to have a developer pick up the tab for the field.

“This would cost zero tax dollars,” said Curry, adding that his league, which offers football, cheerleading and wresting, would maintain the field. "Four-hundred-ninety-nine homes is nothing to what we already have. But I don't care about the homes. I just want the field.”

By his count, Curry said this football season, the league's first, “four severe injuries” were attributed to field conditions.

“This is embarrassing for Loudoun County," he concluded. “They might as well be playing on asphalt. Actually, maybe they should. At least asphalt is smooth."

The board taking office in January will decide the fate of the Braddock Village rezoning proposal, and its synthetic field, early next year.

Contact the reporter at jjacks@timespapers.com

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