Ritzer Field: Past, Present & Future

To read the proposals, decisions, and progress of Ritzer Field CLICK HERE.

Columbia High School’s Ritzer Field

Our student athletes deserve top-notch facilities. Unfortunately, the condition of Ritzer Field has been inadequate for many years. The District has not engaged in adequate upkeep (other than mowing the grass), and students using Ritzer have seen many cancelled games and practices and poor field conditions. This must improve.

The Board of Education has now voted to install artificial turf on Ritzer Field three times–in 2018, 2024, and 2025. While we recognize that artificial turf has been a divisive issue in this community, and while we ourselves sympathize with the safety, environmental, and fiscal concerns surrounding it, we also believe that Board members have a responsibility to honor the decisions of prior Boards barring significant changes in circumstances. For that reason, if elected we will not seek to undo the decision to install turf at Ritzer.

However, there is work we can do now. Turf is not being installed in 2025 and there are currently no plans to improve Ritzer for the spring 2026 sports season. The District should work to improve the field before 2026 by watering the grass and aerating the soil–steps which have not been taken. While these steps cost some amount of money, we believe these steps to be a wise investment in the facilities that our student athletes deserve for the most immediate sports season on Ritzer Field.