A landscape architect hired to design a new multi-purpose athletic field unveiled a nearly $5 million project Tuesday that calls for 750 seats on two bleachers, lighting — and six nearby tennis courts.
The project calls for 500 seats for Oxford fans, with another 250 seats for visiting fans. There would also be a press box and a public address system.
There would also be room for a field house, although the field house is not proposed at this time.
“It’s not an extravagant proposal,” said Bill Miller, a member of the New Oxford School Planning and Building Committee, which conducted the public information session at Oxford High School Tuesday so that the architecture firm, Milone & MacBroom, based in Cheshire, could show the plans it has drawn up.
Miller pointed out it is the basic elements of what the high school needs, not “pie in the sky.” He estimated that if the entire project were to cost $4 million it would mean an extra $50 in taxes for a home assessed at $200,000, over a period of 20 years.
George Temple, the Republican nominee for First Selectman, questioned the project’s cost.
“I’ve got a little sticker shock over this,” Temple said.
He pointed out voters failed to support an expanded field complex in a town-wide vote when the high school was being planned.
“My question is how do we make this more palatable?,” said Lila Ferrillo, the Republican chairman of the Board of Finance, who was one of about 45 people in the audience.
The price tag for the project — now estimated at $4.97 million — could be brought down to $4.62 million if grass is used instead of synthetic turf.
State reimbursement is not available for the project, committee members said. They hope some grants may be available to help pay for the work.
Broken out, the synthetic field would cost $3.57 million, with $490,000 for the lighting, $350,000 for the bleachers, press box and public address system, and $560,000 for the tennis courts.
A grass field would be $3.22 million, plus those additional costs, which would be the same.
It would be a big improvement over what the school has now, as anyone who has attended a home Oxford football game can attest.
There is a football field that was intended as a practice field, where there is no lighting, and portable bleachers only. There is a baseball diamond, softball diamond, and two multi-purpose fields.
The project must pass referendum though, — and it seems like a tough sell in this economy, said resident Stephen Brown.
“The price point is pretty high,” Brown said.
If that is a lot of money to consider, the important thing to remember is that the project is open to suggestion, said Patricia Severson, chairman of the committee.
“This is not carved in stone,” Severson said. She reminded the audience there is plenty of time to take suggestions.
One strong suggestion Tuesday night came from Coach Gerard Carbonaro, who has been a football coach for the Oxford Wolverines since the high school opened.
He strongly recommended the synthetic field, as the architect did, because it is overall a better playing surface and can be used more often.
Natural grass fields require high maintenance and periods of rest after use, said the architect, David W. Dickson. Dickson also pointed out that synthetic fields do not result in more injuries to players.
The synthetic field costs more up front but is the better way to go, Carbonaro said. “We don’t have the ability to maintain perfect grass, but the synthetic turf is perfect,” Carbonaro said, and stays that way, all year round.
Joseph Calabrese, who is running for first selectman on the Democratic ticket, asked about the pros and cons of synthetic versus natural.
Dickson responded that synthetic requires no irrigation or pesticides and is barely impacted by rain, to mention a few, while natural turf requires irrigation and pesticides.
The next steps for the field project include making a request to the Board of Selectmen in January of 2012, having a Town Meeting in April of 2012 and a referendum in June of 2012.
