At their next meeting on April 7, the Avon Town Council is expected to appoint a committee to work out details and create a proposal to build a new multi-purpose, synthetic field and a six or eight-lane track and field complex at Avon High.
Seven residents will be on the committee, including the four-person team from Recreation and Parks that has been working with a Glastonbury architect to create proposals for Avon High and the M.H. Rhodes property on Thompson Brook Road. Representatives from neighborhoods near the high school on West Avon Road and Sudbury Way will be on the committee along with a representative from the Avon High Booster Club.
The committee will discuss several issues and concerns surrounding the project and come up with recommendations. The committee will address the type of fill to be used for the artificial turf field. There has been concerns raised about the use of crumb rubber made from recycled tires and similar materials.
The committee will also look into the public address system, a policy for use of the facility, the potential of installing lights around the new complex, parking, and other issues.
At its most recent meeting, the council decided to investigate the possibility of upgrading the facilities at Avon High instead of building a new facility at the M.H. Rhodes property.
Luke McCoy from the architectal firm BSG Group in Glastonbury, discussed a $3.21 million proposal in December to install two synthetic turf field at the high school and rebuild the track. The proposal was endorsed by a subcommittee of the Recreation and Park Committee earlier in 2015.
The proposal includes a new synthetic turf field to replace the current grass football field, a new eight-lane track and field facility, bleachers that would seat 1,000 fans, a press box, a scoreboard and lights. The proposal also includes installing a second synthetic turf field where the current field hockey field is located. The main bleachers and press box would be in their current location with seating for 250 fans closer to the baseball field.
The town has been examining proposals for synthetic turf fields since 2014.
In November 2014, BSC Group provided the town with two proposals for an athletic complex that could be built on a 15.25-acre parcel on Thompson Brook Road at the site of the former M.H. Rhodes Company, adjacent to the bike trail.
One proposal that included a multi-use synthetic turf field, a second natural grass field, bleachers that could seat up to 1,000 fans, a home and visitor locker room, public restrooms and a press box is estimated to cost a little over $5 million. There would be parking for 250 vehicles. An eight-lane track was included an earlier design but dropped because there wasn’t enough space.
Timeline
- March 2016: Town Council decides to investigate upgrading facilities at Avon High and decides to appoint a committee to come up with a final proposal.
- December 2015: Board of Education hears proposal to upgrade athletic facilities at Avon High
- June 2015: Town Council hears $3.21 million proposal to upgrade athletic facilities at Avon High by rebuilding tack and installing two synthetic turf fields.
- April 2015: Subcommittee of the Recreation and Park committee recommend $3.21 million proposal to upgrade athletic facilities at Avon High by rebuilding tack and installing two synthetic turf fields.
- November 2014: Architect provides town with two proposals for athletic complex on 15.25 acre parcel on Thompson Brook Road at site of former M.H. Rhodes Company, adjacent to the bike trail. Town Council asks for estimates for similar complex at the high school.
- February 2014: Town Council unanimously votes to spend $40,000 for an architect to draw up plans to build a synthetic turf field and recreation complex on Thompson Brook Road
- November 2013: Seventy people attend Avon Student Athletic Park Steering Committee meeting
Gerry deSimas, Jr., is the editor and founder of The Collinsville Press. He is an award-winning writer and has been covering sports in Connecticut and New England for more than 30 years.


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