Town-owned property on Thompson Road where an athletic complex could be built.
AVON – Residents in Avon still have several opportunities to comment on a proposed athletic complex on Thompson Road. Architects hired by the town to draw a proposal met with the Town Council and provided an status report earlier this week.
The Town Council asked the architect, BSC Group, to return at the Council’s next regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, Sept. 4, at 7:30 p.m., at Town Hall to provide an update on the proposal. Residents will be able to comment on the athletic complex proposal at the meeting.
The proposed athletic complex could include a multi-use, synthetic turf field, lights and bleachers. The field could be used by Avon High’s football, soccer, field hockey and lacrosse teams and other groups. The proposed complex would be on a 15-acre, town-owned site on Thompson Road where M.H. Rhodes, who manufactured timers, switches and horsepower motors, was once located.
Town residents can also make comments on the proposed design at two upcoming Recreation and Park meetings on Tuesday, Aug. 19, and Tuesday, Sept. 9, at the selectman’s chambers at the Town Hall.
Both Recreation and Park meetings are scheduled for 7:30 a.m. and scheduled to last up to 90 minutes. The early morning start is intended to give residents an opportunity to attend the Recreation and Park meeting before heading to work.
This is an ideal time to provide input because the athletic complex is being designed now.
“We’re just in the design phase now of what might be the best fit for the property,” said Mark Zacchio, chair of the Town Council. “We’re at the early stages of development.”
Property on Thomson Road near the bike trail.
Zacchio said that the Council expects to receive two or three drawings of the most feasible designs of the proposed athletic complex from the architect at the September meeting. The next step would be for the Council to choose a design to consider.
Last February, the Town Council unanimously voted to appropriate $40,000 to be paid for the architect to draw up plans. Plans for the proposed park picked up steam last fall when the Avon Student Athletic Park Steering Committee met with 70 people attending one informational session.
Granby opened a new athletic complex at its high school last September with a new synthetic turf field surrounded by an eight-lane track. There is also an adjacent synthetic turf practice field. Canton constructed and opened a new synthetic turf facility with an eight-lane track last November as part of a reconfiguration of its parking lot at the high school.
Farmington is replacing its football field this summer with a new synthetic turf field. It should be ready this fall. The town received a $500,000 grant from the state to help pay for the cost of the $1.1 million project.
More information about the project can be found at the Avon Student Athlete Park website.
Canton’s first game on its new turf field last November was a football game against Lewis Mills.
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