Turf Field Moves to End Zone

An artificial turf field at Cheshire High School could be installed in the summer of 2011 now that the Town Council voted to turn the project over to the town's Public Building Commission.

"Tonight is a watershed," Bob Behrer, chairman of the Turf Field Project Committee, told the council Tuesday night. "We now have $240,000, all publicly donated funds. We're in shooting distance of what we believe the number (cost) will be," he added.

The town received a grant of $525,000 nearly three years ago. The cost of a new field ranges from $700,000 to as much as $900,000. 

The council voted 5 - to- 4 to send the project to the building commission. Thomas Ruocco, who voted against the measure, said "If you put this out to referendum, I don't think it will pass." 

Newly appointed councilor Stephen Carroll said the project doesn't require any municipal money. "This is moving the project one step further. Let's hand it over to the PBC to more thoroughly review and analyze the project."

In 2009 when the council first considered the field proposal, the turf committee was told to raise at least 50 percent of the necessary additional funds before the council would request the grant from the state.

That threshold was reached earlier this year, but then the council expressed their concerns about replacement of the field in the future and wanted specific numbers. 

"No matter what we have down there (at CHS) it will have to be replaced. This is more bang for the buck," said  councilor Andrew Falvey who voted for the project.