Town Pulls Plug on Birch Meadow field improvement project

Town officials announced on Monday that they have pulled the plug on the remainder of the Birch Meadow field lighting project.

Chairman of the Board of Selectmen John Halsey and Town Manager Bob LeLacheur announced that Phase I of the project has been scrapped after disagreements in town legislation brought the two-phase $2.5 million project to an impass.

“For many years the recreation community has worked tirelessly to assist the local government in field maintenance and improvements, and the users of the Birch Meadow complex have been looking forward to expanded hours of field usage from the lighting project, especially for the youth in the community,” Halsey said in a press release. “On a personal note, I believe it is imperative for all of us to provide recreational, scouting and other positive opportunities to our young people to help them learn to make good life choices.”

In April, Town Meeting originally authorized $1 million for the first phase of the $2.5 million dollar project. Phase I was planned to light five different areas in the recreation complex: The softball fields, Morton Field, and the Little League field, as well as the men’s softball field and the RMHS Turf II field, which were deemed “insufficiently lit.”

“In the past two months the town has received preliminary unexpected significant negative financial information concerning litigation on the past High School construction project,” LeLacheur said in a press release.

Citing the need to respect the relationship between Town Meeting and Town Government, the project has been shelved indefinitely.

“In light of this news, which must remain confidential until the litigation is settled, I would not in good conscious recommend that Town Meeting approve such an expenditure on what should be viewed as a ‘nice to have’ recreational improvement,” LeLacheur said.

“As the community is aware, we face challenges in providing the basic public safety, public education, human/elder and other services that our friends and neighbors in Reading rely on. While lighting the Birch Meadow complex would provide a direct benefit to many in town, Reading still maintains a wealth of recreational opportunities that are the envy of most other communities.”