Hempfield Area School District wants to turn fields into turf

If you have stepped onto any grassy surfaces over the last several days, you know how soggy it is. And while some of us can avoid unpaved surfaces, student athletes who are getting ready for their spring seasons like baseball and softball are looking at some wet prospects.

The Hempfield Area School District has been dealing with this issue for years. The rain or the snow melt affects their grass athletic fields that are heavily used, and those fields don't get enough time to recover. This in turn makes these fields difficult to play on and increasingly difficult to maintain.

But Hempfield Superintendent Dr. Mark Holtzman says they would like to change this issue this summer by converting several of their fields from grass to synthetic turf.

"The matter is relatively straightforward, and part of a larger planning effort, as we are hopeful to begin a major renovation and addition to our high school this summer," Holtzman said in a statement to KDKA. "That project is currently out to public bid. Additionally, we are one of the few 6A high schools in the region without synthetic surfaces beyond our stadium."

In March 2025, KDKA reported that the major renovation Holtzman spoke of would be happening to the high school and its grounds to the cost of around $130 million, which will be paid for by various bond measures over the next several years.

The renovations at Hempfield High School will likely be done sometime in 2029, but if the school board approves, the baseball, softball and multipurpose grass fields could all be refurbished by the next school year.

The school board will be voting on whether to turn these grass fields into synthetic turf fields at their meeting next week.