The Old Rochester Regional School Committee has voiced its support of a nonprofit group's efforts to rehabilitate the school's outdoor athletic facilities.

The Tri-Town Unified Recreational Facilities, Inc. (T.U.R.F.) is working to raise funds that will go towards an artificial turf on the multipurpose field as well as other improvements.

At its October 2016 meeting, the School Committee toured the athletic facilities.

“I was surprised to learn,” said Heather Burke, Marion representative to the School Committee, “that the gym classes are out here utilizing the fields all day. So, in addition to teams practicing on the fields from two in the afternoon to seven at night, kids are on them from eight in the morning until the sports teams start up. How is the grass ever supposed to recover?”

The School Committee again touched on the issue in January, noting that an overhaul of the outdoor athletic facilities could not be accommodated in the current school budget, nor in any foreseeable budget.

In a statement released by the School Committee, Chair Tina Rood said the fact that a group of local community members initiated T.U.R.F. is positive.

“We are always happy when parents get involved with the school. It makes the school stronger,” she said.“We, as a committee, look forward to learning more about what T.U.R.F. is proposing when they are ready to share it with us.”

The School Committee recommends that those who are interested in learning more about T.U.R.F. visit the organization’s website at orrturf.com. More information about the ORR School Committee, including upcoming meeting dates, can be found at www.oldrochester.org.