Sprague Field Task Force

1. Sprague Field Task Force Presentation to Community Preservation Committee January 30, 2008 For more SFTF information, go to www.wellesleyma.gov, and find the SFTF section under Boards and Committees

2. Who we are • Department of Health Lenny Izzo • Board of Public Works Bill Charlton • Recreation Commission Carl Fleischer • Director of Athletics John Brown • Natural Resources Commission Rick Bashian • School Committee Chris Guiffre & Suzy Littlefield • Board of Selectmen Greg Mills • Sprague Fields Abutters Tom Brown & Mike Urban • Sprague School Administration Donna Dankner • Sprague School Parents Todd Himstead & Jane Neilson • Wellesley Cancer Prevention Project Richard Morse • Youth Baseball & Softball Curt Smith • Youth Lacrosse Barbara McMahon • Youth Soccer Tom Harrington • Advisory Committee Liaison Marijane Tuohy • CPC Liaison Jack Morgan

3. What we are trying to accomplish • Mission: The SFTF will recommend to School Committee one or more plans for the Town to approve at the 2008 Annual Town Meeting to solve the remediation of the Sprague Fields, with a consensus from constituency groups, which optimize the use of the athletic fields at the Sprague Fields Complex.

4. Our approach • Don’t limit our work to a debate of synthetic turf v. natural grass on the two fields in need of remediation • Do seek consensus on a compromise approach to remediation by developing a master plan for the entire Sprague Fields complex • Remediation area would be included in the implementation of any master plan • Move as quickly as possible • Need to meet deadlines associated with Annual Town Meeting and DEP remediation order • condition of fields is contributing to Town’s field capacity problem because referees won’t work on them • Grass fields are not usable until they grow in for two growing seasons (fall and spring) after installation

5. Our progress to date (1 of 2) • School Committee takes lead in search for a Sprague solution (May) • School Committee holds Listening Session at Sprague School and forms the SFTF as an advisory committee to School Committee (June) • Guiffre & Littlefield recruit members to SFTF (June-Aug) • SFTF develops RFP with help from Town Engineer and distributes RFP (July-Aug) • SFTF seeks funding for consultants (Aug-Oct) • SFTF holds Listening Session (Sept) • SFTF receives responses to RFP and interviews three vendors (Sept) • SFTF updates Advisory (Sept) • SFTF selects Gale for field layout and remediation design work but not evaluation of synthetic turf v. natural grass issues (Oct) • SFTF obtains consultant funding assistance from Selectmen, Recreation, DPW & Field Use Fund (Oct) • SFTF unanimously agrees on Conceptual Field Layout (Nov) • SFTF establishes home page on town website (Nov) • SFTF submits placeholder application with CPC (Nov) • SFTF evaluates synthetic v. natural grass issues, including health/environmental issues, sports injury issues, experience at other towns, alternative in-fills (Nov-Jan)

6. Our progress to date (2 of 2) • SFTF evaluates funding issues (Nov-Jan) • SFTF and members of Advisory tour local fields (Dec) • SBC requests football field at Sprague (Dec) • SFTF requests that School Committee request a warrant article; School Committee requests warrant article (Dec) • SFTF mails Public Hearing invitations to abutters (Jan) • Guiffre & Mills meet with abutters (Jan) • SFTF meets with synthetic turf vendors (Jan) • SFTF holds successful Public Hearing (Jan) • SFTF unanimously agrees on recommendation to School Committee (Jan) • Commenced private fundraising {coordinated with Naming Rights Committee} (Jan) • Guiffre & Mills update Advisory Committee (Jan) • SFTF works closely with CPC (Jan) • Guiffre presents SFTF recommendation to School Committee (Jan) • School Committee unanimously approves recommending Master Plan to Town Meeting (Jan) • Townsman gives Master Plan a “thumbs up” • SFTF agrees on TPE in-fill (Jan) • Guiffre presents SFTF & School Committee recommendation to Selectmen (Jan)

7. SFTF recommendation toSchool Committee • Unanimous recommendation • Recommend Master Plan to Town Meeting • Be prepared to make fall back motions under the warrant article in order to ensure a resolution at this Town Meeting • Motion(s) to be presented at Town Meeting • Motion #1 (Option A. Master Plan) • If Motion #1 not approved, then . . . • Motion #2 (Option B. Partial Master Plan) • If Motion #2 not approved, then . . . • Motion #3 (Option C. Basic Remediation Plan) • Unanimous agreement by School Committee

8. Three Options • Option A. Master Plan • Remediates Field 1 (natural grass) and Field 2 (synthetic turf) • Improves Field 3 (synthetic turf) and Fields 4 & 5 (both natural grass) • Includes new softball field and road improvements • Includes new full-sized baseball diamond • Provides for concessions and restrooms • Option B. Partial Master Plan • Remediates Field 1 (natural grass) and Field 2 (synthetic turf) • Improves Field 3 (synthetic turf) • Includes new softball field and road improvements • Option C. Basic Remediation Plan • Remediates Fields 1 & 2 (both natural grass) • Includes new softball field and road improvements

9. Field layout

10. Master Plan (1 of 2) • Features • Playground for Sprague Elementary School (equipment paid for by Sprague PTO) • Natural grass field next to Sprague Elementary School • Synthetic turf on multi-use fields 2 & 3 using an alternative to tire crumb • Handicapped parking and handicapped access to field 2 • Plowable walking path for Sprague and WMS students • Improved drop-off line for Sprague Elementary School • Restroom facilities • Concession stand and 10 trash cans throughout complex • Enhanced Kindergarten Meadow • Eliminates the dirt mound behind garage • Maintains 3 emergency access points

11. Master Plan (2 of 2) • Field Layout • 5 rectangular multi-use fields (field 2 also can be used for football) • 2 full-size baseball diamonds (re-uses existing diamond) • 1 softball diamond • Other considerations • Master Plan does not include lights on playing fields • Master Plan does not include permanent fences, stands, or scoreboards • Master Plan does not include additional parking • SFTF recommends that SC and SBC consider options other than Sprague for varsity football games if possible

12. Cost Estimates • Option A. Master Plan • Approximately $3.8M • Can be implemented in phases if private fundraising and/or CPC application does not yield target amounts • Option B. Partial Master Plan • Approximately $2.8M • Option C. Basic Remediation Plan • Approximately $950,000 • All cost estimates exclude playground equipment, which will be funded by Sprague School PTO • All cost estimates include $7/sq. ft. for TPE in-fill

13. Funding • Option A. Master Plan • Private Funds* $1,800,000 - $2,000,000 (≈ 50-55%) • CPA Funds** $1,500,000 (≈ 33-40%) • Other Town Funds*** $ 300,000 - $ 600,000 (≈ 10-15%) • Option B. Partial Master Plan • Private Funds* $ 700,000 - $1,000,000 (≈ 25-40%) • CPA Funds** $1,500,000 (≈ 45-55%) • Other Town Funds*** $ 300,000 - $ 600,000 (≈ 10-25%) • Option C. Basic Remediation Plan • CPA Funds** $ 700,000 (≈ 70-75%) • Other Town Funds *** $ 250,000 (≈ 25-30%) * There can be no assurance that private fundraising will yield the target amount. Private funds will come from increased user fees or donations or both. User fees will be used to fund replacement costs. ** There can be no assurance that CPC will decide to fund any portion of this project, and if CPC funds any portion of the project, there can be no assurance that it will provide the full amount of CPA funds requested in the application. *** There can be no assurance that the Town will commit the target amount.

14. Synthetic turf (1of 3) • Environmental & Health Risk Sub-group • Sub-group report plus extensive literature on SFTF section of town website • No conclusive evidence that tire crumb is a health or environmental hazard, but because there are are potentially hazardous materials in tire crumb, from an environmental & health standpoint, it is prudent to explore other synthetic turf options • Followed sub-group’s recommendation • Explored alternative in-fill synthetic turf and no-infill synthetic turf • There are viable, but potentially more expensive, options to SBR in-fill • Selected TPE in-fill

15. Synthetic turf (2 of 3) • Sports Injury Risk Sub-group • Synthetic turf is comparable to premium natural grass from a sports injury standpoint • Premium natural grass fields require periodic rest, which Wellesley cannot provide • Lower incidence of concussions on in-filled synthetic turf (versus premium natural grass) • Lower incidence of abrasions on premium natural grass (versus in-filled synthetic turf) • In-filled synthetic turf is not old-fashioned “AstroTurf”

16. Synthetic turf (3 of 3) • Other towns Sub-group • Other towns report favorably on their experience with synthetic turf • Talked to Framingham, Lexington, and Waltham • Reviewed information from Lincoln-Sudbury gathered last year

17. Sprint to the finish . . . • Submit CPC application and present to CPC (Jan) • Commence work on designs (Jan) • Commence work on bid documents (Jan) • Coordinate with PBC (Jan) • Present to Design Review Board (Feb) • Present to Zoning Board of Appeals (Mar) • Early bid advertisement for best pricing on field contract (Mar) • Town Meeting vote on Master Plan (Mar-Apr) • Open bids for fields contract (Apr) • Check references and award fields contract (Apr) • PBC to commence separate bid process for restroom facility (TBD) • Commence work on fields (Jun - immediately after close of school) • Substantially complete work on fields (Sept) • Commence work on restroom facility (TBD) • Commence use of synthetic fields (fall ’08) • Commence use of grass fields (spring ’09) • Commence use restroom facility (TBD)

18. Questions, feedback, and approval • The SFTF seeks the CPC’s support for this important Town project • We welcome any questions • Thank you