Seeds planted for debate on new turf in Swampscott

SWAMPSCOTT – Three years after it rejected a $2.5-million project for an artificial turf surface at Blocksidge Field, Town Meeting this May will likely see what proponents say is a less expensive and more health-conscious alternative to the proposal voters denied.”It’s still definitely a need for Swampscott,” Recreation Director Danielle Strauss said Monday. “We can’t keep up with the maintenance of these (existing) fields as they are, and we’re behind every other one of the towns around us. Everybody has a turf field. (Our athletes) are not used to practicing on a turf field and it really makes a difference.”Town Meeting in May 2012 rejected a $2.5-million proposal to renovate the stands, install lights and build a multi-sport, artificial-turf field at Blocksidge Field. The town was to pay $1,857,856 from the town budget, and private donors would provide $750,000 for the project.A study committee subsequently formed to continue the project and to study the condition of athletic fields throughout town. In a presentation to the selectmen and then later to May 2013 Town Meeting, the study committee recommended building a multi-sport artificial-turf field at Blocksidge and constructing it in three phases, according to Chris Urbano, a member of that committee and a current member of the All Blue Foundation, a private group raising money for the project.Phase one includes the majority of the project and expense. It would include tearing down all the stands and pouring a concrete pad for eventual stands on the home-team side. The field would also be widened so it could accommodate multiple sports and would be resurfaced with turf. The goalposts, scoreboard and fence would be replaced and some landscaping would be added. The lighting infrastructure would be put in place for eventual lights. This would cost an estimated $1.54 million, according to Urbano.The next two phases include adding lights, and stands, respectively (although Urbano said the order could be changed), and would be paid for by private donors.(This proposal appeared on a November 2013 Special Town Meeting warrant, but proponents decided to postpone it because they were waiting on word from a state grant and “the town did not seem amenable to spend that money yet,” Urbano said.)Proponents Monday cited the same reasons they had more than two years ago in arguing for the multi-sport artificial field. An artificial field is more durable, can be used in wet and rainy conditions when other fields cannot, and can be used by athletes in multiple sports including football, lacrosse, field hockey and soccer.It also is something that other towns – Marblehead, Lynn, Revere, Beverly, Danvers, Salem and Peabody, etc. – and their athletes use.Proponents of the project said the new proposal also addresses two of the major issues that they felt caused the prior attempt to fail.The Board of Health in 2012 did not support the field project, citing concerns over the health effects of the crumb-rubber infill that was to be spread over the artificial surface.”We thought it was too risky, healthwise,” Block said Monday. He mentioned that the crumb rubber – which is made from recycled tires – must be disposed of as toxic waste, and that studies are underway about the material’s possible carcinogenic properties. “In addition for the potential for harm with the chemicals that get gassed off that, it’s also extremely hot, on a 90-degree day, the crumb rubber can heat up.”Town Meeting members also were concerned about whether the town should focus on other priorities. An October 2012 rainstorm caused major flooding throughout town, and residents were asking for drainage improvements, particularly along Paradise Road.A drainage study has since begun and the town recently received a $75,000 grant to expand the town-wide drainage study.Meanwhile, the Board of Health and the Athletic Field Advisory Committee (AFAC, which formed after the field study committee) both unanimously voted this month to r