Sales of healing ointment and adhesive bandages will rise with the adoption of more artificial turf playing fields for Calgary athletes, according to one sports-equipment specialist.
City council will debate the merits of allotting $4 million in possible Municipal Sustainability Initiative funding today to facilitate more artificial turf opportunities for local athletes.
University of Calgary kinesiologist Darren Stefanyshyn said the city will get what it pays for and if they choose to cheap out, more injuries will come as a result.
“It can be better for impact absorption than normal grass fields and you will get much more use out of it in its lifetime,” said Stefanyshyn. “But you’re going to have more rashes and burns associated with falling, that’s just the reality of artificial turf.”
In a business case calling for seven new artificial turf fields, the Calgary Soccer Federation said their project would cost around $15.2 million, and they’ve already put forward $205,000 of their own money into studying it.
“There are so many kids in this city that want to play soccer and we don’t have enough fields,” said Ald. Diane Colley-Urquhart, who authored the motion.
“With artificial turf, we can avoid the 20 or so days a year that they get rained out.”
http://www.metronews.ca/calgary/local/article/151747