Halifax council blithely ignores health risks to kids, approves yet another artificial turf sports field

1. Halifax council votes to endanger children

“Halifax Regional Council approved a motion with recommendations to allow for advanced tenders, as well as $2.3 million in spending for an all-weather field project at Lockview High School in Fall River,” reports Suzanne Rent:

Crystal Nowlan, director of asset management with HRM, gave a presentation on the capital budget during council’s budget committee meeting Tuesday morning.

In the motion, staff recommended that council approve the schedule of 2025/26 advanced tender requests, and approve $2.3 million in more spending for the all-weather park at Lockview High School in Fall River. Council debate on the capital budget will start in February.

Click or tap here to read “Halifax council approves advanced tenders, $2.3 million more for Lockview school park field.”

The advance tenders are simply providing continuing financing for multi-year projects that have already been approved. I was more interested in the school sports field. Rent explains:

The Lockview High School project is the creation of a new all-weather turf field scheduled to open in September 2025. Besides the field, the project also includes a new fieldhouse and lighting and paving. 

Nowlan said the tenders to date for the all-weather field project have exceeded the original budget. The approved budget for that project was $4.9 million with $213,000 coming from fundraising from the community, and other money coming from the province and federal governments. But that money has run out.

…

“There are 1,300 kids plus that go to Lockview [High School]. The community is growing. It is a turf field where there will be a nice walking track and it will be lighted,” [Councillor] Deagle Gammon said.

The cost issue dominated discussion at council, but in general, I’m all for spending money on sports for kids. HRM has a terrible dearth of all sorts of sports fields, especially tracks. And those sports fields we do have are mostly concentrated in mega complexes and not simple neighbourhood fields that kids can walk or bike to without parental involvement.

But it’s the “all-weather turf field” that caught my attention — that’s the new euphemism for “artificial turf.”

It’s astonishing that we continue to use and build new artificial turf fields as the health effects of the stuff are becoming better documented.

First, the stuff is toxic.

“Artificial turf releases toxic chemicals when spread on a play surface or yard, especially when exposed to sun, rain, and other weather events,” explains Rochelle Rubinstein for the Environmental Defence Fund:

Continuous activity on the artificial grass (like running) also breaks down the grass blades into microplastics. These tiny pellets of plastics can be easily inhaled, ingested and dermally absorbed. But these microplastics don’t just stop there – the tiny pellets also migrate widely outside the fields and yards into our homes and stormwater runoff.

While natural grass absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen, artificial turf does the opposite by releasing CO2, methane, and a variety of chemicals. Chemical analysis of artificial turf conducted at Yale University found 96 chemicals, 20 percent of them probable carcinogens. In addition, artificial turf contains highly toxic PFAS or “forever chemicals” linked to lower childhood immunity, endocrine disruption and cancer. Children are especially vulnerable to inhalation, ingestion and dermal absorption, as they are lower to the ground and breathe more quickly.

On top of the chemical makeup of artificial turf, it is also impermeable (unlike natural grass). It requires harsh chemicals for cleaning sweat, mucus, spit, blood, bird droppings, etc., that remain on the surface. And while natural grass has a cooling effect, artificial turf absorbs heat and can become dangerously hot.

“What is the true environmental cost of these materials?” asked Dr. Kim-Chi Tran in a short article she wrote for the Ontario Medical Association newsletter:

In 2023, it was reported that six baseball players on the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team had passed away from glioblastoma. There is also seemingly an increased number of cancers (namely lymphoma) in the soccer goalie population. The common denominator for these athletes? Playing on artificial turf. Based upon anecdotal evidence, the European Chemicals Agency launched an investigation into whether or not artificial turf could cause cancer. In the end, they were unable to find conclusive evidence of the presence of chemicals above acceptable limits.

A study by Yale did demonstrate that rubber mulch, infill and surfaces release polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semi-volatile organic compounds and Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These chemicals are thought to be endocrine disruptors and there is strong evidence that these are toxic and cause harm to health. In sports where children are playing, or athletes are diving to catch balls, there is a higher propensity for ingestion and certainly dermal contact. Depending on the chemical, off-gassing and inhalation are also concerns.

In addition to the toxicity of artificial turf, there is the risk of immediate injury.

Katerina Kerska of the National Center for Health Research reviewed the academic literature related to knee and ankle injuries, concussions, heat-related illness and injury, and abrasions in association with playing on artificial turf. The studies showed that players on artificial turf were considerably more injury prone than players on natural grass fields.

I somewhat hesitantly raised this issue back in 2015, when Halifax council approved an artificial turf field on the Mainland Common:

I had a internet discussion with my American friends yesterday about artificial turf. This came up after players at the FIFA Women’s World Cup complained about the artificial turf:

After Sunday’s Norway vs. Thailand game, Norway midfielder Lene Mykjåland voiced her discontent about the short, dry turf, which she said made it difficult for either team to “get a decent tempo and rhythm.” The playing surface was watered using two fire hoses instead of the standard sprinkler system.

When the tournament kicked off Saturday, the temperature of the playing surface was reportedly 120 degrees, despite the fact that it was a pleasant 75 degrees that day in Edmonton. That’s because artificial turf, a combination of rubber and plastic, gets a lot hotter than natural grass. Natural grass, on average, stays 20-30 degrees cooler than its artificial counterpart. 

This comes after a lawsuit challenging FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association’s decision to keep artificial turf for the tournament. Though the complaint, which was supported by high profile national players, was withdrawn in January 2015, concerns remain about the safety hazards of playing on turf and the gender discrimination that may have been behind the decision.

The turf temperature on Saturday was just two degrees below what’s considered “unsafe for sustained use by trained athletes,” according to a study cited by the Las Vegas Sun. 

Anecdotal evidence suggests that playing on turf results in more fatigue and injuries than on natural grass. 

This will be especially true when high turf temperatures could cause heat radiation to tire players more quickly than natural grass would. A 2006 survey found that 74 percent of NFL players felt artificial turf was responsible for more fatigue than grass. The turf will be the medical team’s primary concern in the tournament, Dr. Bojan Žorić told Sports Illustrated.

Besides heat-related injuries, the lawsuit filed against FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association raised broader health concerns. As US national team player Abby Wambach told the Associated Press:

Not only do soccer balls move differently on natural grass, but injuries are also less likely, players say.

“This is the pinnacle of our sport,” said Wambach, 34, a fixture on the national team since 2003. “As an older player it’s not only my job but my responsibility to make sure the sport be played on the very best surface for the very best tournament of our careers.”

Wambach says that players can’t slide into tackles as they normally would because of potential injuries to their knees and legs, and they certainly risk getting hurt on hard landings from diving headers.

And, yes, the complaints about artificial turf are coming from the very best elite players. Still, in Nova Scotia, and especially in Halifax, nearly all fields used for children’s soccer have been converted to artificial turf.

In my discussion with my American friends, they were astounded to learn that the use of artificial turf was so widespread in Nova Scotia. To a person, they and their children abhor it. The play is considered too fast, the field conditions dangerous. And that attitude seems to have been adopted by the bureaucrats in the places they live, resulting in very few artificial turf fields being constructed. (I don’t pretend that my friends are a representative sample of all of the United States, but still.)

I raise this issue not because I’m an expert on injuries related to the various types of turf, but rather because I don’t think anyone has even considered it. So far as I can determine, no one has bothered to investigate the potential health effects on the children using the fields. If real grass is safer, we should know. And if artificial turf presents a significantly higher risk of injury to children, we should stop using it.

That was nine years ago, and still, after all these years, as more and more attention has been placed on the hazards of artificial turf, no one at City Hall has considered those hazards, or, if they’ve considered it, they’ve dismissed that concern without even putting it in a report to council.

Increasingly, professional and elite sports teams are returning to natural grass fields. Of course, they have the money to do so, but that’s the rub of it, isn’t it?

The use of artificial turf is wrapped up with talk about extending the playing season, but let’s be honest: bureaucrats and politicians like using artificial turf because it’s low-maintenance compared to natural grass, risk to kids be damned. You don’t need to send someone out every week to mow the grass, you don’t need to resod periodically, and you don’t even need to paint the lines on the field. We’re quite literally putting our kids at increased risk in order to save money.

Our kids are worth more than saving a few dollars on the tax bill. They’re worth building neighbourhood playing fields they can walk to. They’re worth natural grass.

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2. Cemetery keeper’s house

“Halifax Regional Council approved a motion to demolish a registered heritage house on South Park Street, after a public hearing in which a handful of residents opposed the plan,” reports Suzanne Rent:

As the Examiner reported in February, council’s heritage committee declined a request by the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth to demolish a registered heritage property it owns on South Park Street in Halifax. 

That property, which is now boarded up, is the home that previously served as the cemetery keeper’s house for Holy Cross Cemetery. The house is also located within the Schmidtville Heritage Conservation District.

…

The archdiocese first submitted a proposal to demolish the building in 2017, saying the house was beyond repair. 

In May 2023, an HRM inspector looked at the house and said while it would be expensive to fix up, it could be done. At a public hearing the following month, residents in the area opposed the demolition and the archdiocese’s plans to build an above-ground columbarium for internment of ashes. 

During the heritage meeting in February, HRM planner Carter Beaupre-McPhee said approval of the demolition plans “may risk encouraging demolition by neglect.” The heritage committee denied the archdiocese’s request to demolish.

Click or tap here to read “Halifax council approves plan to demolish cemetery keeper’s house, with conditions on new plan.”

Reasonable people can disagree as to whether the building should be demolished or not, and I appreciate that councillors were truly conflicted.

But I do want to take issue with something Coun. Shawn Cleary said:

Coun. Shawn Cleary said he’s been conflicted about this proposal as well, but said municipal heritage staff “care deeply about heritage.”

“For our new colleagues, don’t get used to this. This is, in the eight years I’ve been here, the first demolition of a heritage property that I can remember,” Cleary said. 

Cleary said he doesn’t like seeing registered heritage properties not being maintained and then facing demolition, but he called this situation “unique a circumstance as I can recall.”

Just when I think I’m getting old because I forget stuff like how to find the cosine of an angle or what’s the name of my cousin’s third kid, Cleary makes me feel better because he can’t recall something that happened just last year.

Shawn, old fellow, let me remind you about the John Misenor House at 64 Wentworth Drive in Dartmouth. This house:

I wrote about the house in September 2023. I realize the multiple indents may be confusing…

Back in 2019, I wrote about the proposed demolition of the John Misenor House, a registered historic property at 64 Wentworth St. in Dartmouth:

The area is zoned “Downtown Neighbourhood,” which by my read does not allow for the construction of a multi-unit building on this site.

I can’t find much about John Misenor. There was a John Misenor who was captain of the East India Company’s ship Princess Amelia back in 1727, but I think it’s doubtful that’s our man, as why would he give up a fine career in plundering just to come to Dartmouth for retirement? There’s another John Misenor who was listed as a “measurer of grain” somewhere in Nova Scotia in 1878, so I’m guessing that’s him. I asked David Jones, who knows everything about Dartmouth history, about Misenor, and if I hear back I’ll let you know.

Jones in fact got back to me, so the next day I followed up:

Jones got back to me Tuesday, sending me Site Inventory Forms from the former Department of Culture, Recreation & Fitness. Jones says the Dartmouth Heritage Museum has “binders of these forms for Dartmouth heritage properties” in its collection.

The form for 64 Wentworth Street, which was presumably written at the time of registration in 1986, explains that the house was built in 1840, continuing:

Architectural comment: This is a 1 1/2 storey, woodframe building. Many elements of the building are additions/alterations, such as the large dormer, large rear wing and wide roof overhang with brackets. Nevertheless, one can discern the original vernacular design, including five bay facade with center entrance.

Historical comment: The original owner, John Misenor, was a “coal and grain” measurer. A second John Misenor (possibly a son) boarded here, (1880) and was a well known furniture maker. (It should be noted that John Misenor is not listed in the city directories as living on Wentworth St. until 1880, though he bought the property in 1840.) A later owner, Charles Nixon, was a supervisor with N.S. Light & Power.

Contextual comment: This building relates well with the streetscape, sharing scale and use of material.

After the two John Misenors, the house was owned from 1897-1899 by George Misenor (a carpenter); his heirs from 1899-1912; from 1912-1913 by Fenwick Misenor (an undertaker); from 1913-1917 by Ralph Gates (a bank clerk); from 1917-1919 by Charles Herman (a salesman); from 1919-1929 by Charles Bell (no profession listed); from 1929-1954 by Richard Nixon (not the US president, but rather a professor [I can’t find any further information about this fellow]); and from 1954 to the time of registration by Charles and Alice Nixon, who had a Calgary address. Only in 1990 did the house change ownership to someone named Keramis Photios, who is presumably a relative to the present-day owner, Ekatirine Keramaris.

Jones contacted me last night [that is, in September 2023] to tell me the structure has been torn down.

Which is to say, heritage properties can and do get razed. I think there have been others, but I’m too old to remember them.

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3. Churchill steps down as Liberal leader

“At a news conference on Tuesday morning, Zach Churchill announced his resignation as leader of the provincial Liberal Party,” reports Jennifer Henderson: 

“This election, the voters sent a clear message, and I respect that. As leader, it’s my responsibility to take ownership of this result. This is my loss, and mine alone to bear, ” Churchill said. 

“This job has been incredibly rewarding, and that’s thanks to the many people I’ve met throughout my political career. I don’t know what the future holds for me, but I’m excited to spend more time at home with my family.”   

The Liberals emerged from the recent provincial election with only two seats, their worst finish ever. Churchill lost his own seat in Yarmouth to Progressive Conservative Nick Hilton, a municipal councillor and registered nurse. An official recount yesterday showed Hilton won by a mere 16 votes. 

Churchill, 40 years old, had represented the area for the past 14 years. He held positions as education minister and health minister when Stephen McNeil was premier.

Click or tap here to read “Zach Churchill steps down as Nova Scotia Liberal Party leader.”

There are now only two Liberals in the legislature: Derek Mombourquette representing Sydney-Membertou and Iain Rankin representing Timberlea-Prospect. Mombourquette has been named interim party leader, while Rankin is the Liberal house leader.

I wonder if Mombourquette and Rankin will go out for caucus drinks together after a day at the legislature. If so, they’ll probably have to share a table at the Triangle with some tourists from Cincinnati.

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4. SaltWire

As expected, yesterday Supreme Court Justice John Keith extended the SaltWire insolvency process to March 28, 2025.

As I explained last week:

The very short of it is that KSV [the court monitor] wants the Stay Period extended from Dec. 13 to March 28, which means we’ll have to wait until then to get the financial details of Postmedia’s takeover of the SatlWire publications.

The longer version is that the printing presses, office furniture, and other equipment has been sold off. There have been offers for some of the real property — Bluewater Drive in Bedford and Austin Street in St. John’s — but no decision has been made on that (the court has to approve the sales). There is a buyer for the George Street property in Sydney, but for unexplained reasons the closing date has been extended to Feb. 10, 2025. The Second Street property in Yarmouth was listed for sale for $369,000, but no one bit, so that’s going to be re-listed.

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Government

City

Today

Audit and Finance Standing Committee (Wednesday, 10am, City Hall and online) — agenda

Transportation Standing Committee (Wednesday,1:30pm, City Hall and online ) — agenda

Heritage Advisory Committee (Wednesday, 3pm, online) — agenda

Harbour East – Marine Drive Community Council (Wednesday, 6pm, HEMDCC Meeting space and online — agenda

Tomorrow

Community Planning and Economic Development Standing Committee (Thursday, 10am, City Hall and online) — agenda

Province

No meetings

On campus

King’s

Register now: Journalism Day in Halifax (Friday, 10am, King’s campus) — two hands-on workshops for high school students to learn more about podcasting, debunking fake news, photojournalism, and video; more info and registration here

Literary Events

No events

In the harbour

Halifax
07:30: Polar Prince, tender, sails from Dartmouth Cove for sea
09:30: Atlantic Swordfish, barge, moves from Pier 39 to Fairview Cove
10:30: MSC Pamela, container ship, arrives at Berth TBD from Colombo, Sri Lanka
10:30: Oceanex Sanderling, ro-ro container, arrives at Fairview Cove from St. John’s
11:00: AlgoScotia, oil tanker, sails from Imperial Oil for sea
11:45: ZIM Iberia, container ship, sails from Fairview Cove for sea (itinerary)
13:00: Polar Prince arrives back at Dartmouth Cove
17:00: Nolhan Ava, ro-ro cargo, arrives at Pier 31 from Saint-Pierre
18:30: IT Integrity, supply vessel, arrives at Pier 9 from Port Alberni, B.C.
20:30: East Coast, oil tanker, arrives at Irving Oil from St. John’s

Cape Breton
13:00: Hanover Square, oil tanker, sails from EverWind for sea

Footnotes

I have three different sets of contractors working on my house today. I’m gentrifying Dartmouth.

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