Parks Dept & Rec. Assn. Secure Unanimous Selectmen Support For Bold Plan to Add 3 Playing Fields; Could cost up to $859,000

Selectmen voted unanimously to support the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) article slated for Spring Town Meeting that would provide $309K to the Parks Department to begin securing needed funds to add three athletic fields to the Cow Pond Brook area. This article would require a 2/3 vote in order to pass.

The proposal presented by the Parks Department, along with Groton Dunstable Recreation Association, plans to use the $309K Community Preservation Committee funds along with a $50K donation from the Rec Association, and $400K from a PARC grant, and a possible additional $100K from the town that would enable the town to construct three badly needed playing fields on town-owned land beyond the current fields on Cow Pond Brook.

Following last week's Selectmen's meeting, where some questions were raised, Parks Department Vice-Chairman Jon Strauss came back to ensure that the Board had all the answers they needed in order to take a position on the article.

According to Strauss, funds from the CPC are not tied to the PARC grant. If town meeting voters support the CPC requests, those funds and the Rec Association funds would be encumbered. "If the town does not receive the PARC grant, we will come back to the voters and ask them to act on a larger amount for the fields," Strauss said. This amount could be up to $591K as the article would not recognize the Rec Association contribution.

Strauss assured the Board, "The $309K sits there if the PARC grant does not come through. We won't do anything with that money unless the whole project is ready to go."

CPC Chairman Bob Degroot told Selectmen, "The CPC has a written agreement with the Parks Department on the use of the funds. The CPC is very committed to this project. Dunstable is also a potential interested partner as they would use the fields as well. Jon and the group have done a heck of a job looking for funds. They presented a tremendous application in a very short time and the town should back this plan."

Department of Public works Director Tom Delaney responded to another question the Board had raised earlier, that being the disposition of the old bridge on the site at the end of Bridge Street. He characterized the bridge as one that was used as a haul road for the gravel operation that was once located there. "I will take the bridge out and grade the area. There will be no safety issue if it is gone."

Following further discussion, the Board voted unanimously to support CPC requests for $309K for the Parks Department..