It is my hope that in the coming years, University City High School can join a growing number of other San Diego schools that have switched to synthetic turf on their athletic fields. The UCHS football, lacrosse, field hockey and soccer teams, as well as members of the school band, would benefit from the all-weather fields, and the school would save tens of thousands of dollars in maintenance and upkeep.Schools in the San Diego and Poway Unified school districts, as well as around the country, are switching to synthetic turf to provide safer, more even fields and higher-quality play. Balls travel farther and more consistently on a synthetic field, and athletes are less likely to trip over a rock or step in a gopher hole.
While the price tag on such a project is hefty, most schools that make the switch find they recoup the costs in the first few years through savings on maintenance and resodding. Replacing the existing UCHS fields with synthetic turf would also make the Centurions more competitive against teams already playing on all-weather fields.
UCHS officials are exploring funding options for the project, which is estimated to cost $5 million. My office is working with Mayor Jerry Sanders to explore possible state, federal or other grants from organizations such as the San Diego Chargers to supplement money the school raises privately.
You can support UCHS athletics by making a monetary commitment to the Centurion Alumni Foundation of UCHS, 6949 Genesee Ave., San Diego, CA 92122, or by calling the school, (858) 457-3040.
Recently, I have heard from a number of University City residents who are worried about the proposed joint-use airport at Miramar, which is on the ballot next month. I share many of those concerns, and have expressed them to the Airport Authority over a number of years. While I respect the work of the Airport Authority, I am disappointed with their decision to place the Miramar proposal on the ballot.
The Navy and Marine Corps couldn’t be more clear about their opposition to any joint-use proposal. It seems a waste of time and effort to pursue something that has no real chance of going forward anytime soon.
In addition to the military’s opposition, there are significant community impacts to consider. A commercial airport at Miramar would radically alter military flight operations, diverting jet traffic directly over University City and several other communities. The noise from these round-the-clock flights would be unacceptable in our residential neighborhoods.
I will remain vigilant in my efforts to protect the citizens of Council District 1. I urge all residents to make sure their voter registration is up to date and VOTE on Nov. 7. The future of our region is in your hands.
” District 1 City Councilman and Council President Scott Peters contributes a monthly Council Corner column highlighting City Hall happenings pertinent to the University City area.
