Town Council Makes Way for Graduation at Victory Field, But it Will Cost $25K

Wanting to ensure that Watertown High School graduation will be held at Victory Field the Town Council approved purchasing a removable cover for the field for $25,000.

The money for the covering will come out of the $3 million borrowed by the town to pay for the renovation of Victory Field, said Town Manager Michael Driscoll.

Last year graduation was held on the new artificial turf at the field, but only after a make-shift covering was made out of plywood donated by Sterrit Lumber. The cover was needed so chairs could go on the field and so girls could wear heels and do not damage the artificial turf.

The vote was not unanimous, however. Town Councilor Angeline Kounelis said she could not support the purchase.

"This project was funded by tax payer dollars and did not have the unanimous support of the community," Kounelis said. "The vendor should have told us. We never had an inkling that there would be anther cost for a cover on the field."

Some who use the artificial turf say that a cover is not needed for an event like a graduation, Driscoll said, but he wants to protect the town's investment.

"There are some that say don't worry about it," Driscoll said. "But I worry about it."

Town Councilor John Donohue said he wants to make sure the high school can hold graduations at the field, adding that the town has the funds for the covering.

"To deny the youth of this community graduation on Victory Field would be a disservice," Donohue said. 

Town Councilor Susan Falkoff wanted to know if the option of renting a covering had been considered and wondered where the covering would go when not in use. Driscoll said it would be stored either at the nextdoor Public Works Facility or at a school. 

The cover would make Victory Field more versatile, said Town Councilor Cecilia Lenk.

"I do feet it is a good expenditure. Anyone who has been to a graduation at Victory Field know it is a wonderful experience," Lenk said. "And it would open Victory Field for other events - anything from a concert to another type of presentation."

Approval of the funding was needed earlier than the rest of the town's capital budget so that the covering could be purchased in time for this year's gradation, said Town Councilor Vincent Piccirilli, chairman of the Budget and Fiscal Oversight Subcommittee.