The Abridged version:
- Renovations to Crocker Riverside Elementary School‘s play area will have natural grass after all.
- Several parents at the Land Park school had raised complaints about the proposed switch to artificial turf. Their concerns ranged from health effects to environmental impact.
- The Sacramento City Unified School District facilities team said the change will affect the project’s timeline, pushing completion into next spring.
Crocker Riverside Elementary School will not have artificial turf.
Sacramento City Unified School District officials announced they would be reversing course, after several parents at the Land Park school raised concerns ranging from environmental impact to health effects.
“This decision reflects the strong input from the community and aligns with the District’s commitment to environmentally responsible practices,” Chris Ralston, assistant superintendent of facilities, wrote in a message to families Thursday.
“It also allows us to proactively adapt now, rather than face potential changes and added costs in the future,” Ralston continued.
Project timeline pushes back
Ralston said in his message the change will mean challenges, chiefly a delay in expected project completion.
Originally, Ralston’s team was aiming to renovate the play space all within the summer break.
He said he now expects the field to be ready for play around April 2027.
“Transitioning to natural turf requires redesign work, revised construction planning, and additional time to establish a safe and durable field,” Ralston wrote.
Parents hope to set districtwide precedent
A vocal group of parents had pushed back on the proposed faux field since first learning about the project earlier this spring.
Families authored online petitions, created an anti-turf website called grass4crocker.com and appeared at multiple school board meetings. Ralston and board members heard their concerns at a community meeting last week.
Still, many parents said they were worried about the efforts falling on deaf ears.
“I didn’t think this was going to be the outcome, but I’m so grateful,” said Tiffany McFarland Olcese. a Crocker parent. “And I only hope that they extend this courtesy and respect to other schools that have less active parents.”
There are six other elementary schools with artificial turf somewhere on campus, though Crocker Riverside’s field replacement would have been the largest instance in the district by far.
Any districtwide ban or policy would be a decision for the school board, Ralston said.
Savannah Kuchar is a reporter covering education. She came to Sacramento to be a part of the Abridged team and contribute to a crucial local news source.