Volunteers of T.U.R.F. (Tri-Town Unified Recreational Facilities, Inc.), a non-profit organization formed by residents to fundraise for a complete overhaul of the athletic fields at Old Rochester Regional, are taking their proposal to the towns to present their plans and talk about private and public funding sources to make the ‘field of dreams’ a reality.
T.U.R.F. President Tom Flynn, along with Hal Rood, Sean Walsh, and Athletics Director Bill Tilden, will be taking their presentation on the road to the Tri-Town boards of selectmen and finance committees to garner support for the project and hopefully persuade the towns to support contributing some public funding.
“This requires both private and public funding in order to get this vision to fruition,” said Flynn.
Over the past 15 months, the group has raised upwards of $70,000 to fund the engineering for the estimated $5 million project and to study the current conditions of the fields and why they are in such poor shape.
“The fields … are suffering from overuse and we have actual data,” said Rood. “We know how many hours of use a grass field can take.”
The running track is already 15 years old and at the end of its lifespan, said Rood. “The track has not kept up with the state standards for hosting a state or regional track meet,” said Rood, pointing out that indentations in the track and variations in surface levels are a hazard for injury.
The practice fields are not property irrigated, and the fields are over-used by school and private non-school athletic groups, including youth sports. The grass doesn’t grow anymore, and large patches of bare ground have created unevenly filled surfaces, causing twisted ankles and muscle injuries, not to mention falls and concussions, Rood said.
Field lighting is also an issue, as well as the non-standard ‘H’ goalposts.
The new athletic complex plan calls for a synthetic turf stadium multi-use field, a secondary synthetic turf field, the repair of the baseball diamond, and two new natural grass fields to be used alternately in order to properly maintain the grass. Additional bleachers are slated, as well as a press box for the announcer and another structure at the entrance for restrooms and concessions.
“This is the right project and time,” said Flynn. “But, the most exciting thing about the facility is also the worst thing about this facility,” he added. It’s that all three towns use these fields “constantly,” Flynn said. “It’s really a community hub, and it’s being used every moment that it can be used and that’s the problem.”
Architectural firm Kaestle Boos has designed the athletic complex and assisted with a cost analysis of the proposed synthetic turf project versus a completely natural grass proposal.
Over the total life span of conventional grass fields, the expected cost would be $1.1 million as opposed to synthetic turf at $1.66 million. However, a synthetic turf field allows for more field use hours, an important part of the revenue over time that would account for roughly $3.3 million of the total cost of the project.
It’s all in the mathematics, said Rood.
“There’s so much demand for field space,” said Rood. “We value athletics and getting adults and kids moving out there.” Rood continued, “The plus to this facility is people use it; however, it’s overused.”
The estimated upfront cost per town would be $1.67 million, with revenue projected at around $3 million.
“We realized this is going to be some critical revenue generation for us,” said Rood. The fields could host up to 15 tournaments per day, at $1,000 each. Youth leagues would pay $50 per hour for field use, and some other adult leagues, $100 per hour. Sponsorship and signs could also generate another $1,000 each. In all, about $206,000 could be raised annually.
T.U.R.F. members are also seeking any available grants and other ways to raise revenue.
“We build it and they will come,” said Rood.
“I think it’s worth it,” said Flynn. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think it was worth it.”
T.U.R.F. members hope to present the project to town meeting voters of all three towns next year.
“I’m in this for the long haul,” said Flynn. “I want to see this happen.”
By Jean Perry