A draft report by Gale Associates concluded that town athletic fields, while in fair condition, are overused. While that’s not news to many coaches, players, and parents, the study backs up its conclusion with usage data from the schools and youth and adult leagues. Gale’s suggestion is to convert at least one rectangular playing field to synthetic turf, which will withstand heavier use, and possibly add lighting to extend availability.
The town set three goals when it commissioned the study: evaluate the condition of nine specific athletic venues in town, including equipment and amenities such as spectator seating; determine how many uses each field had and what its capacity was; and determine the town’s need for new or upgraded fields.
To address the first goal, Gale rated each venue on a scale of 1 (poor) to 4 (excellent). Most fields received a score in the high 2’s. The fields at Harvard Park and the elementary school were rated the highest with scores of 3. Pond Road fields scored the lowest, 2.4, mainly due to the condition of the baseball field. The equipment there is in poor condition, and drainage issues leave constant standing water in the left field corner. Drainage was identified as an issue at every field except those on Depot Road.
The basketball courts were also included in the study as being in fair to poor condition, but the Parks and Recreation Commission will seek $20,000 for fiscal 2025 from the Community Preservation Committee to resurface the court and install new backboards and hoops.
Gale was also asked to evaluate the grassy area to the east of the library parking lot to determine its potential for athletic use. It concluded that the slope of the land and the presence of rocks and boulders throughout the area preclude its use as a field “without large scale regrading/earthmoving.”
Field use numbers
To achieve the study’s second goal, determining field use, Gale distributed questionnaires to major stakeholders. It received responses, including scheduling information, from school coaches and youth and adult league organizers, as well as the Parks and Recreation Commission and the Department of Public Works.
The responses showed that Bromfield accounts for about 35% of field usage, and it uses every field in town except the Ryan Land ballfields. Athletic Director Dave Boisvert said most of the fields have drainage issues, and the town is frequently behind on maintenance. The remainder of the fields are used by youth and adult leagues, with soccer, baseball, and softball accounting for about 30% of use each. The remaining 5% of use is youth lacrosse. League organizers cited maintenance and scheduling as the primary field-use issues.
Scheduling data showed that town fields are used for about 3,600 team events annually. Gale factored how damaging each sport is into its use count for the various fields. Youth lacrosse is the most damaging, and baseball and softball are the least damaging. The resulting numbers showed that every field except Pond Road has more than 250 uses per year, and some, including Depot Road and Bromfield, have more than 400 uses. The Pond Road fields are underused, according to the study, but the rectangular field can only be used in the fall because of baseball fencing that is installed in the spring.
According to Gale, a natural turf field, if properly maintained and rested, can accommodate 200-250 uses per year. Resting is required for 30 to 45 days in either the spring or fall, and typically it cannot happen on Harvard’s fields because they are overscheduled. The study mentioned that finding time to rest fields is a challenge for all towns. Fields cannot be rested in the summer when the grass is dormant.
When combined with the scheduling needs identified for each field, Gale’s data shows that the town is operating with a deficit of four fields (see table below). As for future use, the Bromfield athletic director told Gale that boys’ lacrosse is expected to return in the coming years and will need a field about as often as the girls’ team. Gale also estimated population growth to be about 5% over the next 10 years and concluded that the town will need one more full-size rectangular field by 2033.
What’s the answer?
Gale was not instructed to investigate other potential field locations in town. Given only the resources that currently exist, it concluded that the town’s best option is to convert an existing field to synthetic turf. Synthetic turf fields can handle three times more use than natural turf fields and are restricted more by the amount of time in a day than by condition. Adding lighting would allow about 750 uses per year.
The study included estimates for two synthetic turf options—one at Harvard Park and one at upper Depot Road. The Harvard Park estimate, $3.4 million, includes converting the existing field to synthetic turf and reconstructing the track, which, according to Gale, is at the end of its usable life. The upper Depot Road estimate, $2.5 million, would add a new synthetic turf rectangular field that could be combined with a 60-foot diamond. Both estimates include about a half million dollars for lighting, as well as a 25% contingency for unforseen costs.
The Select Board did a preliminary review of Gale’s study at its Sept. 19 meeting, and member Kara Minar mentioned that some towns have banned synthetic turf because it is suspected to be a health hazard. During public comment, Board of Health member Libby Levison agreed and said the BOH would like to be involved in future synthetic turf discussions. Ellen Leicher, chair of the Climate Initiative Committee, said her group wants to be involved as well, and cited possible environmental concerns when synthetic turf is removed. The turf typically needs to be replaced about every 12 years, according to Gale’s study.
Minar said she would also like to see the cost for improving the fields the town already has. The town voted $25,000 to restore fields at Town Meeting last spring. So far, the Parks and Recreation Commission has spent about $3,000 on improvements to the lower Depot Road field, but it has yet to decide how to spend the remainder of the funds. The commission is seeking an additional $26,000 from the Capital Planning and Investment Committee for fiscal 2025 for signage, fencing, and irrigation.
Chair Rich Maiore said the town is still trying to get an engineer to evaluate the land behind Harvard Park as a possible location for two rectangular fields, but that land is wet and borders wetlands. No other town parcels have been found suitable, and letters sent to private landowners regarding interest in selling land for fields have received no responses. Maiore said he and Parks and Recreation commissioner Marisa Steele would meet with other committees in the coming weeks to discuss the problem, and the Select Board will consider the options at a future meeting. He said he hopes the board will have something to address this problem on the warrant for Town Meeting in the spring.
