Forum Focuses On Next Steps For Fields Project

Town residents had the chance this week to learn more about a warrant article seeking $250,000 for design and other services for new athletic fields at the middle school and high school. 

The article will come up at October 21 Lynnfield fall town meeting. The full text of the warrant can be viewed at this link. The project would include a multi-use synthetic turf stadium at Lynnfield High School with two synthetic turf fields, plus a new track and turf field at the middle school, as well as the removal of the current bleachers there. Other community recreational needs identified earlier in the process, such as trails and a dog park, among other things, will also come up in the future. 

Fields Committee Chair Arthur Bourque reported that the high school portion of the project will cost about $5.6 million, along with $785,000 for field improvements elsewhere in town. Of that sum, $1 million is expected from the LIFE senior housing units at MarketStreet Lynnfield, $1.5 million would come from the town's sale of real estate account, and the remaining $3.95 million would be financed. Assuming an annual debt service of $350,000 over 20 years, that sum would be paid for with $200,000 in revenues from MarketStreet, and $150,000 from golf enterprise surplus funds. This would also mean none of the cost coming from tax increases for residents, noted Bourque. 

For the nearly $2 million cost of the middle school component, Bourque said that private fundraising efforts are getting underway to fully fund that part of the project. He estimated that the full amount could be raised in as little as a year. 

Looking to the October 21 town meeting, voters will be specifically asked to approve $250,000 for the project's engineering study. An RFP would be issued later in the fall with the field improvements going out to bid in March or April. Next April, residents would be asked to approve the development and funding plan for the fields project itself. 

"Don't waste $250,000 in October if you don't plan to vote in April for the whole thing," said Bourque. 

The complete report on the town's proposed fields project can be viewed at this link. 

Editor's Note: Do you have any thoughts on the proposed fields project? Feel free to comment below!