Preserve the Dream; Keep Our Park Naturally Green
Mayor Karen Bass, Los Angeles. Traci Park, Councilwoman, LA CD-11. Jimmy Kim, GM, LA Recreation and Parks.
As concerned members of the Pacific Palisades community, we, the undersigned, call upon Los Angeles City Recreation & Parks, Council District 11, the Palisades Park Advisory Board, and the Pacific Palisades Baseball Association to take immediate action to protect the health and well-being of our neighborhood and its environment.
We strongly oppose the proposed replacement of natural grass at the Field of Dreams with artificial turf and urge the city to instead use modern, drought-tolerant natural grass. We also urge the LA Department of Recreation and Parks to replace the recently installed artificial turf at the Outdoor Fitness Area with a safe, non-toxic natural surface that supports community health and sustainability.
Our key concerns include:
Protect Shared Green Space: We strongly oppose any effort to reduce our community’s natural green spaces by replacing them with plastic, artificial turf. These open grassy areas are more than just athletic fields—they are vital gathering places for the entire community. Families and friends come together here to play, relax, and connect; children learn teamwork and sportsmanship as they kick a soccer ball or toss a football; family members bond as they fly a kite, toss a ball, or have a picnic, neighbors share laughter and memories under the open sky with cherished community events, such as the Summer Movies in the park, which depends on these natural spaces. We urge the city to preserve and protect real grass over artificial turf—ensuring that Pacific Palisades remains a vibrant, healthy, and welcoming environment for everyone.
1. Injuries and Environmental Risks: Artificial turf fields are composed of synthetic materials that can contain toxic chemicals, including PFAS (known as “forever chemicals”). Additionally, injury rates on artificial turf are significantly higher, with increased risks of lower extremity and head injuries, concussions, and abrasions compared to natural grass.
2. Heat and Water Conservation Concerns: Artificial turf absorbs and retains significantly more heat than natural grass, often reaching temperatures of 160°F – 180°F and sometimes as high as 200℉, creating hazardous conditions such as burns and heat stress for athletes and drastically reducing field usability during peak heat hours. Despite being marketed as a water-saving solution, artificial turf requires potable water for cooling and cleaning, often exceeding the water needs of drought-tolerant natural grass. In contrast, natural grass helps cool the surrounding area and contributes to our neighborhood’s climate resilience—a vital priority as we face increasingly extreme temperatures and drought. The radiating heat from artificial turf creates a heat island effect, which extends into the surrounding areas.
3. Honoring the Spirit of Our Community: The Palisades Recreation Center and Field of Dreams are cherished community assets. Our parks should embody the values of health, sustainability, and stewardship that are deeply held within our community. An organically managed natural grass field aligns perfectly with the kind of future we want to provide for the next generation.
Join Us in Advocating for a Natural Solution:
This is a pivotal moment for our neighborhood. The decision we make now will profoundly affect the health of our children, the character of our park, and the sustainability of our local environment for decades to come. We invite your organization to sign on to this letter supporting organically managed natural grass at the Field of Dreams. Please add your name, title, organization and copy of your logo. Together, we can show strong, unified support for a healthy and sustainable Pacific Palisades.
There is a safe and affordable alternative:
Natural Alternative: Natural grass fields are cooler, support biodiversity, absorb carbon dioxide, produce oxygen, can be managed without toxic chemical inputs, and provide a safer playing surface. They are more inviting to ALL, ages 0 – 100+ and for ALL types of activities, whether it be an organized sport, a family going out to toss a ball, or a community event such as a movie night. Organic and drought-tolerant playing fields are available and cost competitive, including the maintenance and water-usage.
What can you do:
· Sign this petition
· Share this petition
More data:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35593739/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35990873/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35948114/
https://mountsinaiexposomics.org/artificial-turf/
Sponsored by
To:
Mayor Karen Bass, Los Angeles. Traci Park, Councilwoman, LA CD-11. Jimmy Kim, GM, LA Recreation and Parks.
From:
[Your Name]
We, the signed members of the Pacific Palisades community, want to be fully engaged in decisions that impact our community. After the devastating fires on January 7, 2025, we are in a position in which we want our community made whole, made to be more resilient to our future, and made with our input.
We, do not want the use of plastic, artificial turf in our public park. We request that NO use of artificial turf be used in the Pacific Palisades Recreation Park. This includes all playing fields and areas surrounding any structures. And, we request the immediate remediation of the artificial turf that was installed without the knowledge of the community, on the area around the outdoor fitness area.