Students seek more field space

Campus construction recently has put a major strain on the amount of field space available for student recreation.

With last week's announcement that construction on the Ramshead Center won't be completed until the spring, and that, consequently, Ehringhaus field won't reopen until next fall, the issue has returned to the limelight.

Student Body President Matt Calabria said he sees the situation as one of the top issues for students.

"(We're) using the fields we have to maximum capacity," he said. "We're really strained right now."

Because Ehringhaus field has been out of commission for the sake of displaced parking and construction equipment, the number of athletic fields on campus has been cut from five to four.

Under normal circumstances, the loss of one field would not be significant, but the unprecedented number of students participating in campus recreation has made it a problem, officials said.

Carolina Athletic Association President Will Keith said that with or without Ehringhaus field, there is an increasing need for field space on campus.

The situation wouldn't be nearly as serious if it weren't for the popularity of campus recreation, said Marty Pomerantz, director of Campus Recreation.

"It's a difficult time, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel," he said.

The short-term solution is to improve the fields that are available so that students can use the spaces more frequently, said Fred Mueller, chairman of the Department of Exercise and Sport Science.

"(UNC has) the worst fields for a student body our size in the country," he said.

Field improvement plans include replacing the grass on Hooker fields three and four with artificial turf and returfing Hooker fields one and two.

"We have a project under way to put new turf on fields one and two in the spring," said Kevin MacNaughton, special assistant for capital projects under the associate vice chancellor for facilities.

Pomerantz said he is confident that the current plans to returf and the switch from grass to turf will have a huge impact.

Calabria has acted as another major player in the push for field improvements by lending the movement his full support.

He said the AstroTurf initially installed on fields one and two was faulty, but because the company responsible for it has since gone out of business, the warranty has become defunct.

He added that fields three and four are set to receive turf during the summer.

Regarding a long-term solution, Calabria noted that Carolina North, a satellite campus proposed by the University, provides some promising opportunities for securing new field space.

Unfortunately, he said, any solutions that could be provided by Carolina North would be created too far in the future to provide relief for the current field space shortage.

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.