$30K+ Field of Dreams Soon to be Reality in Bethel

BETHEL, CT — A group of Bethel residents recently voiced their concern on social media over what they feel is the lack of attention to the fields located at 39 Hawleyville Road. Roy Parsell posted photos and the following message on the Bethel CT Forum:

"These are pics of the lacrosse practice field on Hawleyville Rd. The last time this was brought up on this forum we learned that this project cost the town $30,000 & all the money was paid to the contractor before the project was started.First off I don't know how this could have cost this much money and there is no way this will be able to be played on this fall like people were told. The hydro seeding didn't work. Nearly half the field has had the old weeds grow back up thru.They even started more work after it was hydro seeded to rip out some stumps way in the back which killed some of the new grass when the machines ran over it.This is the perfect example of why you don't pay a contractor for a job up front before it's started."

According to Bethel Parks & Recreation Director Eileen Earle, the contractor, Exterior and Interior Landscape, was paid $30,000 from a Capital Improvements account in the town budget and didn't complete the work on schedule due to the weather. Earle said their portion of the work is now complete and the rest falls on her staff to finish.

Earle said that the contractor didn't get the scheduled work done before winter which pushed back the seeding.

"They brought in topsoil to make it level, brought in hydro seed in the spring but didn't get it done until June and not March. This made it hard to grow when the weather got really hot," Earle told Patch. "The plan is that my staff will top dress it with over seed for the next few months and should be open in April of 2017."

Funds for Bethel Parks & Recreation to complete the project will come out of the operating budget.

Earle said that they are trying to alleviate usage on fields and give teams more practice times.

"This will free up some field space. There will be two small fields and possibly a third depending on the size. This will allow 2-14 practices, 2 teams at a time."

The multi-purpose fields are intended for younger soccer and lacrosse programs, Earle said.

If residents have concerns, they are free to call Bethel Parks and Recreation at (203) 794-8531.

Image via Google Earth