Town accepts donation for lights at Avon High; Work to begin shortly

For years, portable lights were used to illuminate athletic contests at Avon High. Work will begin this month on permanent lights around the new synthetic turf field and track and field complex.   

AVON, March 1, 2021 — Work to install lights to illuminate the new synthetic turf field and track and field complex at Avon High is scheduled to begin this month, weather permitting.

In early February, Avon’s Town Council and Board of Finance approved appropriations in the amount of $380,048 for the installation of the lights.

ACORN (Avon Community Recreation Neighborhood), a non-profit community organization dedicated to investing in resources to enhance recreation in town, presented the town with a donation of $145,048 to put toward installation of the lights in early February.

The remaining $235,000 for the project came from approximately $465,000 that the town received in 2020 as a sales premium from the bond that the town took out to pay for the construction of the turf field and eight-land track and field complex. Last November, the Board of Finance and Town Council each voted to spend $235,000 on the lighting project and use the remaining $230,000 to retire town debt.

In December 2018, town voters approved in a referendum the construction of a $2.99 million eight-land track and field complex and synthetic turf field outside of Avon High. Lights to illuminate the playing field were not included in the proposal but work to install conduit and light pole fixtures was included as part of the project.

The track and field complex and the new field was built in 2019. Games at the complex began in September 2019.

Individual and family donations from 420 households in town brought in more than $140,000 to ACORN for their “Lights on Avon” campaign, according to ACORN officials and town officials.

The assembly and installation of the four poles is scheduled this week, weather permitting. Wiring and electrical work, as well as the installation of four pedestrian walkway lights along the entrance to the track and field facility, will follow.

The town is also working with Frontier Communications and Eversource to replace an existing utility pole that feeds the site and upgrade the electrical service at the street.

The town estimates that the lights will be ready for use at some point this spring.

Town personnel are also working with neighbors on Sudbury Way and West Avon Road to develop a plan for additional landscape buffering around the facility. The plan is still being developed and a recommendation will be made to the Town Council in the coming months.

An additional appropriation will be required for the additional buffering, the town said in a release on their website.

Along with track and field competitions, football, field hockey, boys soccer, girls soccer, boys lacrosse and girls lacrosse games can be played on the turf field.