Why does St. Catherine need green space?
St. Catherine of Siena is the largest Catholic elementary school in the Archdiocese and we currently do not have green space for the children to play on during the school day or to use extracurricular activities.  The green space will give several benefits: allow children to play on turf instead of the asphalt parking lot; allow us to expand our PE program; allows us to introduce a second recess throughout the day; and will allow having sports practices and games on campus.

How big will the field be?
The field will be 105’ by 220’ of artificial turf.   It is large enough for St. Catherine to host 7 on 7 flag football games and 7 on 7 lacrosse games (pending Jefferson Parish Council approval).  It will be used for many other church and school activities on campus.

What is the benefit of artificial turf?
There are several benefits to installing artificial turf instead of grass.  Artificial turf does not require regular maintenance (cutting the grass, watering the grass, fertilizing the grass, filling in holes, etc.).  Additionally, artificial turf does not get muddy; it can be used immediately after it rains.  Artificial turf will be better than real grass which dies easily during the winter or high volume of use. 

How will the neighborhood benefit from the new field?
The neighborhood will benefit from the new field in several ways.  The new field will be visually more appealing than an apartment complex.  Removing the apartment complex will cut down on the number of cars regularly in the neighborhood.  Aside from the beautification of the neighborhood with new green space, the field should improve drainage.  The field is being constructed with a crushed stone foundation which will act as an underground water retention area.  

Will the field cause more traffic in the neighborhood?
The field should not cause additional traffic in the neighborhood.  The field will only be accessible by people parking in the main school parking lot.  There will be an emergency exit on Codifer Blvd., but we do not plan to use that for regular access to the field. 

Will the field be accessible for free play?
When the field is not officially being used, the field will be locked.  It will not be open for free play anytime of day or night.  

Will there be lights on the field?
There will be lights on the field (pending Jefferson Parish Council approval).  The lights will be on the east side of the field and shine towards the school.  Current LED technology allows for the lights to shine just on the field and not on the neighboring properties. 

Why is the cost of the field so expensive?
The vast majority of the expense associated with the field is the purchase of the property.  Property in Old Metairie is expensive and the previous use of the property was income producing real estate.  Because we are landlocked, there were limited options available. 

Were the neighbors consulted before the plans were finalized?
Yes.  Fr. Tim and Fr. Andrew met with each of the townhome owners which have homes adjacent to the new field.  After answering all of their questions, the neighbors expressed a favorable opinion on the project.  St. Catherine of Siena wants to be a good neighbor.

Is my donation tax deductible?
Yes. All donations to St. Catherine of Siena are tax-deductible.

School Families:  If I make a donation to the field, will I still have to pay a building fee?
If you make a pledge to the field capital campaign exceeding the $100 per student building fee, you will be exempt from the building fee for the duration of your pledge.

Got other questions?
Email any questions to frtim@scschurch.com.