Melted All-Weather Sports Fields Need Replacement At 5 LAUSD High Schools

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The all-weather sports fields installed at five Los Angeles Unified School District high schools have to be replaced because they are melting due to defective materials.

Fields are now being replaced at El Camino Real, Fairfax and Sotomayor high schools, prompting these schools' football teams to move home games to road games or find alternative sites, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Diego Rivera High is scheduled to begin field repairs in late September, while Washington Prep is delaying replacement of its field until after this season.

The tiny pellets used to form the base of the synthetic surfaces have apparently melted under extreme heat, according to school and district officials.

Mark Hovatter, chief facilities executive for the district, told the Times that the district would spend between $500,000 and $800,000 to replace the high school fields this year while it seeks reimbursement from its contractors. The fields were expected to last between eight and 10 years.

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