New Life For Tewksbury High Artificial Turf Field

Plans to install a multi-purpose artificial turf field at the new athletics complex being built adjacent to Tewksbury High School are alive and well.

A $250,000 state grant has put plans for the turf surface back on the front burner. The next move will be up to Tewksbury voters at the Special Town Meeting (just prior to the Annual Town Meeting) in May.

"I've put two articles on the Special Town Meeting warrant," said Town Manager Richard Montuori. One of those articles would ask voters to approve the use of a certain amount of Community Preservation Act funds toward the field project. The second article would call for the use of Stabilization Fund monies.

Combined with credit the town is due for certain parts of the high school project, Montuori is hopeful the project will be a go. He said he will be meeting with Peter Collins of Heery Inc., the high school project manager this week to go over the exact pricing for the turf field.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. John O'Connor said he was pleased with the developments regarding the turf field and said it would have long-term benefits for the Tewksbury High community.

"This is the direction schools across the country are going when they build new fields or even renovate older fields," said O'Connor. "The maintenance costs for the artificial turf fields are less expensive and they are far more durable. This would allow us to use that field from sun-up to sundown."

Hopes to be able to install the turf field in time for the completion on the complex in August _appeared dead when the town failed_ to land a Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities (PARC) grant in December.

However, town officials met last week with Richard Sullivan, Secretary of the State Department of Energy and Environmental Affairs. The meeting had been arranged by state Rep, Jim Miceli and state Sen. Barry Finegold. The purpose, according to Town Manager, was to get feedback regarding the town's failed grant application and to gain some knowledge as to how to craft a successful grant application next time around.

But Sullivan did not arrive at that meeting empty-handed. It turns out that some of the towns awarded grants in the most recent cycle were unable to use them. That left $250,000 available for Tewksbury.

Montuori received confirmation that the grant had been awarded on Monday, April 1.

There is one hitch. According to Montuori, the money needs to be spent by June 30. This is because the money is included in the Fiscal Year 2013 budget.

This shouldn't prove to be a problem, as long as voters approve the needed warrant articles in May. The project is ongoing and needs to be completed by August.