Sports
Hinsdale Park May Get Artificial Turf Fields
Coaches propose two multi-sport fields and one baseball field at a local park.
HINSDALE, IL – A couple of Hinsdale coaches are leading a local effort to get artificial turf fields at Veeck Park.
Coaches Mike Joyce and James Moody told the Village Board this week that the current fields have drainage issues. When a rainout happens, games and practices may have to be canceled for days because of the condition of the fields, they said.
Last year, Moody said, 30 percent of lacrosse practices were canceled because of the problems.
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"Parents aren't getting what they pay for," Moody said.
The proposal is for artificial turf for two multi-sport fields and a baseball field.
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Moody said he surveyed eight other towns with such fields – Elmhurst, Wheaton, Joliet, Naperville, Downers Grove, Oak Brook, Wilmette and Lake Forest.
"I didn't hear one negative thing from any of these towns," he said.
The coaches estimated the fields would cost $3 million to $4 million, but they said they needed a feasibility study to nail down the expenses.
Before doing the study, they said they needed an indication from the village that it would favor the project if the numbers worked.
The aim is for the fees from users to cover the debt for the fields.
Hinsdale Trustee Luke Stifflear said the study was needed to determine how much money the fields could bring in.
"They can't raise money (for the study) if they don't get buy-in from the village," he said.
Stifflear said he liked the new effort because it is nonprofit and Hinsdale-centric.
"A lot of other people have brought turf-field-to-Veeck-Park ideas before. They've always been for-profit entities trying to get a monopoly on Veeck Park and use it to create profit," Stifflear said.
Village President Tom Cauley wanted to know more about the financial risks.
"From my perspective, this would be a go if we have solid numbers that we could service the debt that we take on," he said.
Other trustees agreed.
The artificial turf fields would last 10 to 12 years, the coaches said. The replacement cost would be less, estimated at $1.5 million.
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