Memorial Field Updated Timeline Revealed

Residents who live adjacent to Memorial Field hit up the school district administration building Wednesday night to sit in on a progress report regarding the property.

Most were in favor of the proposed upgrades to the languishing field.

“I live on Rosemont Lane — my back fence faces the fields and I just want to know what’s going on,” Charles Greenberg said before the meeting. “I guess if they cleaned it up a little, fixed the fence and the fixed the tennis courts, that would be a good thing.”

Resident Chuck Baker said, “I’m glad they’re doing something with the field. I don’t want a parking lot or a shopping center to end up there.”

The school district entered into a 25-year lease agreement with Penn State Abington for Memorial Field, which is on Huntingdon Road between Susquehanna Road and Rosemont Lane.

Rather than paying rent, the university will make about $5 million in upgrades to the facility. In return, Penn State Abington’s athletic teams will be able to practice and compete on the grounds.

Abington School District Assistant Superintendent Leigh Alatdonna and district facilities director Stephen Saile on Wednesday night went over some of the proposed upgrades. They include:

• Installation of an artificial turf for soccer, lacrosse and field hockey
• Installation of an updated non-competition all-weather track
• Installation of new bleacher seating
• Installation of new fencing that maintains public access to the track and lower fields
• Renovation of the tennis courts
• Relocation of the softball field and
• Upgrades to the grass practice fields for soccer and lacrosse
• Installation of a field house with lockers and bathrooms, but no showers.

Penn State Abington’s athletic teams would use the facility daily from late August through October and also from March through April. Its men’s and women’s lacrosse and soccer teams would use the main field, and its softball team would use the lower field. Most of the games would be scheduled for early afternoons on weekends and would see about 50 or fewer spectators; on-site parking is adequate for the games, according to the presentation.

The school district would use the complex for its high school boys’ and girls’ soccer teams, the field hockey team, and it would serve as a back-up site for the lacrosse team. All in all, it would host about 30 school district games per year.

The community would also be able to use the facilities, including the walking track and the tennis courts, though not the artificial turf field. Altadonna said community groups, like the the Abington YMCA and Citizens and Police Together would also be able to use the field for their staple events, like the Gobble Wobble and the 24-Hour Relay, respectively. The Abington Lacrosse Club would also be able to use the field.

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Some residents were concerned about the extra demand for parking that the revamped field could create. Saile said the proposed renovations include the creation of a new parking lot off of Huntingdon Road, which the residents may use during off-peak hours. Parking would increase from 84 spots to 135 spots.

…and the storm water the extra impervious surface from the parking would create. 

Saile said right now there is “no storm water management at all on the property.” After the upgrades, all the rain water on the field would be captured, filtered and it would then flow into the nearby, downhill creek. 

Another resident had concerns with security on the site after-hours. Abington Zoning Officer Mark Penecale said Abington’s crime prevention officer, Chris Posey, will review plan. The property will likely need for low-level lighting so police can see from the roadway.

And as for sledding? The hill will remain. Altadonna said that he used to sled at the field as well as his children. School District Solicitor Jim Garrity said jokingly that the school district will likely not provide “written permission” for sledding at the site.

The timeline for the plan approval is as followed:

• April 23, Abington Township Planning Commission meeting
• April 29, Abington Township Code Enforcement meeting, if needed
• May 9, Abington Township Board of Commissioners meeting for project approval
• June 11, school district authorization permission to advertise and bid the construction project
• July through August, bidding process
• Sept. 10, school board will award the construction contracts
• October through July, construction period
• August 2014, field will likely be ready for use

Penecale said the school district submitted plans for land development last week; one copy of the plans was sent to the county. Penecale said the plans will be reviewed before the next planning commission meeting.

The school district will continue to maintain the property; Penn State would be responsible for trash removal during its events; and both entities would share any larger, capital costs. Both Penn State and the school district would patrol the site.