SWAMPSCOTT — Seven years of planning, pleading, and perseverance came to fruition Saturday as the ribbon (blue, naturally) was cut to open the newly redone Blocksidge Field — home to as much athletic history as any venue on the North Shore.
“Sometimes,” said Gov. Charlie Baker, on hand for opening ceremonies, “you have to lose to win.”
Baker wasn’t just making a remark about his own journey to the corner office, which included a 2010 loss to Gov. Deval Patrick, but the arduous trek that resulted in Saturday’s celebration.
Baker served on one of the committees that was formed along the way, and that board’s recommendations were turned down by the 2012 Town Meeting.
“But that wasn’t the end of it,” said Scott Faulkner of the All-Blue Foundation, which helped oversee the final construction of the project. “A study committee was formed, and we did the research, and presented a new plan in May 2013.”
One of the big sticking points to getting the turf-field built was the infill. On most fields, including Manning in Lynn, that infill consists of cut-up rubber, which was seen as a health hazard by the town’s Board of Health. On Blocksidge, coconut husks are used for the infill.
“I think solving that issue was a turning point in getting this project off the ground,” said recreation director Danielle Strauss.
Faulkner agrees.
“That went a long way toward getting the project approved at the 2015 Town Meeting,” he said.
But getting approval was contingent upon other factors, the biggest being a condition that $300,000 of the $2 million price tag had to be raised privately.
“This type of public-private partnership is kind of underappreciated,” said Selectman Peter Spellios, who was the liaison between the town and the All-Blue Committee.
“This took some time,” said Spellios. “Good things often do, and they take a lot of work. This was a major investment in the community, and it’s now a point of pride.”
Spellios added that planning and fund raising is still being done for some necessary additions to the field. One donor last week pledged money so that lights can be erected by the spring. The footing has been poured, but that’s as far as the project has gotten.
“The person said that he didn’t want to hear that any athlete had to leave school early so he or she could get a game in,” Spellios said. “Because of that, there will be lights in the spring.”
Spellios also said that another donor has earmarked money for a playground on the far end of the park.
Saturday, the stands were full and there were people lined up along the fence to see the dedication ceremony and to just take it all in.
“This is an inspiration,” said Roger Volk, who does public address at Big Blue football games. “This all happened because of the love the people here have for their time. It’s been a long time coming.”
The turf has been ruled for football, soccer, field hockey and lacrosse. It has a new, state-of-the-art press box that rises on top of aluminum bleachers. There are no plans at the moment to put stands on the visitors’ side of the field, said Public Works director Gino Cresta, because the planners thought they might interfere with the baseball field at Phillips Park. And ultimately, Cresta hopes there is a new concession stand on the far end of the stadium..
Baker noted that both of his boys played Big Blue football, yet the first game on the new field would be girls soccer (won by Swampscott, 2-0).
Blocksidge Field is named for John Enos Blocksidge, who was 28 when he died in World War I, just a month prior to the signing of the armistice that ended the conflict in 1918.
“I wonder how he would feel about this,” said Baker. “Isn’t it great we have given this field a facelift that that person who fought and died for his country could appreciate?”
