Hoover Park’s plastic grass field has a 5 o’clock shadow all day long.
Millions of black rubber bits that form the base of the synthetic turf field at the popular Redwood City park have been exposed as the surface’s most well-worn areas have deteriorated faster than expected.
With two years still left on the warranty from its installation in 2002, the turf company offered the city a discounted upgrade to a new-and-improved turf product that it says is more durable.
The city council last week green-lighted spending $905,447 on the upgrade, and city planners are hoping to start the replacement — a two-month project — next month.
“We knew from day one that FieldTurf, who was the manufacturer of this product, was very concerned about it lasting because it got a lot of use,” said Parks Superintendent Gary Hover. “It was one of their heaviest used fields.”
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