Ahern field
Ahern Field shows why community engagement matters
I am grateful that the City Manager has decided that Ahern Field will remain a natural grass field with improved drainage and irrigation. This decision reflects the voices of residents from East Cambridge and across the city who took the time to attend meetings, sign petitions, ask questions, and participate in the public process. Read […]
City reverses course on Ahern Field
After a tense city council meeting on Monday over the issue of putting artificial turf on Ahern Field in East Cambridge, city manager Yi-An Huang issued a statement Wednesday evening reversing course. Read more The CPL’s top 10 May reads “After careful consideration of community input, City Council feedback, and the project’s overall goals, we […]
Ahern Field: Plastics should not be our future
In the heart of Cambridge, a critical debate is unfolding over the future of Ahern Field. While there is an understandable push to install artificial turf to accommodate high-demand sports, we must consider the true cost of replacing a living landscape with a synthetic one. For the residents of East Cambridge, Ahern Field is more […]
Artifical turf is not the only safe option for Ahern
The June 5 op-ed on Ahern Field creates a misleading frame: that supporting children’s play means supporting artificial turf. It does not. Read more How 617 Day became Cambridge’s small business holiday Children need recreation, movement, and outdoor time — but safe play does not require treating synthetic turf as the only option. Pediatric research recognizes the […]
Let them play: Ahern is strategic for our children and public health
Missing from articles, letters and other discussion about Ahern Field is the value of play. Read more A recipe for connection in Cambridge Children do not become healthier because adults preserve a field in theory. Kids become healthier when they use the field. The Centers for Disease Control recommends children and adolescents ages 6-17 get […]
Youth sports leaders: Ahern Field needs artificial turf
We are a coalition of leaders representing the youth sports organizations in Cambridge. We have sent to the City Council the following letter on Ahern Field: Read more Somerville cuts jobs to close defict Our programs share a key mission: we provide an opportunity for Cambridge kids to play locally and inexpensively among friends — […]