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Recreation Feasibility Study as of 1 19 2010 FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR PLAYING FIELDS SUBMITTED BY: NORTHAMPTON RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT C I T Y O F N O R T H A M P T O N, M A January 2010 FEASIBILITY STUDY INTRODUCTION This report provides an assessment of both existing and needed recreation playing fields within the City of Northampton. The purpose of the feasibility study is to identify and assess possible parcels in the City that would suffice for playing fields. Also, to identify and quantify usage needs as determined through careful analysis of past, current and future use and types of use. The Office of Planning and Development and the Recreation Department staff worked together to assess opportunities throughout the entire City. A detailed analysis using the Geographic Information System (GIS) was used for topography, wetlands, access, land tenure, land use and other factors. The Recreation Commission has detailed usage numbers, demand, and collaborated with various City leagues to assess priority needs. CURRENT FACILITIES AND USAGE AVAILABLE Current Location Northampton Fields and uses ‐2009 Name Location Baseball Softball Soccer Football Lacrosse Pavilion Other Arcanum Field Bridge Rd., Florence 1 90’ 1 60' X Fall only X Safety Village Arcanum Field Veterans’ Field Off South St., N’ton 1 90’ X Skatepark Ellerbrook Field Burts Pit Rd 1 X Fall only X Agnes Fox Playground State St., N’ton Sheldon Field Bridge St., N’ton 1 60’ 3 (2 are youth only) X Fall only Park & Ride Lot Maines Field RiversideDr. Florence X Lights X 4 Sand Volleyball Cts City Schools Location Baseball Softball Soccer Football Lacrosse Pavilion Other Smith Vocational High 80 Locust St., N’ton X Fall only X X JFK Middle School Bridge Rd., Florence 1 90’ X X Fall only Aquatic Center Jackson St. Elementary Jackson St., N’ton X X Finn Ryan Rd. Elem. Ryan Rd., Florence 4 60’ Leeds Elementary Florence St., Leeds X X Northampton High Elm St., N’ton 1 90’ X X Fall only X X Bridge St. Elementary Bridge St., N’ton Private Fields Oxbow Marina X private property  Some soccer fields are playable in the Fall only because they share the outfield of baseball and softball fields, which play in the Spring. NUMBER OF USERS City of Northampton Users of City Facilities and Approximate Participants approximate League number of participants Coed Softball 322 Mens Softball 273 Nton Girls Softball U10 & 12 115 Nton Girls Softball U14 13 Nton Girls Softball U12 46 Bill Sweidel/Mens Soccer 27 American Legion 54 Nton Boys Lacrosse 49 Nton Girls Lacrosse 47 Mary V Womens Softball Lg 100 Mike Laga Baseball Lg 45 Nton Little Lg, Farm, Jr. 350 Cal Ripken Youth Bsball 145 Nton Youth Soccer 284 Nton Youth Football 109 Nton Youth Fall Baseball 40 Mens Fall Softball 237 Ed Acus Coed Lg. 90 Jim Mias Open Youth Lg 75 NHS Girls Soccer Summer Lg 20 Adult Open Soccer 22 Nton Soccer Club 200 Ultimate Frisbee 25 Nton Recreation Youth Soccer 325 Nton Recreation Tball Coach Pitch 265 Nton Recreation Summer Sport Cam 175 Northampton High School Teams 285 Smith Vocational High School Teams 90 TOTAL 3828 USE OF FIELDS AND NUMBER OF GAMES AND PRACTICES ON CITY FIELDS The Recreation Department coordinates all non-school usage of City facilities. A monthly spreadsheet is used to record and keep track of all games and practices throughout the days that leagues take part in. Outdoor usage begins as soon as possible, usually mid-April, and continues through the beginning of November when darkness settles in early and the weather is too cold. The Northampton Recreation Department, the Northampton School Department and Smith Vocational High School have a long-standing partnership. The three entities share recreation and school facilities. The High School practices and games have priority and take place after school, usually until 5:00 or 6:00 p.m. Recreation sponsored leagues then follow. The youth sports world has expanded immensely in recent years. Organized sports offerings have expanded to include many new programs, camps and longer seasons. For example, many play soccer year-round, baseball has recently added a fall league, and the youth lacrosse leagues have added divisions for younger ages. While the growth of opportunities is wonderful, it has put an even higher demand on our current playing fields. It is a fact that many teams don’t have the opportunity to practice when needed because fields are all full, and many times it is difficult to schedule rain make-up games. Approximate Number of games and practices on Northampton Fields ‐2009 April 560 May 915 June 775 July 370 August 170 September 450 October 410 November 90 Total 3740  Data from actual monthly field usage sheets at Recreation Department.  Does not include all the Northampton High and Smith Vocational High practices or games as those are scheduled by their High School. USERS MEETING In August 2007, a facilities users group meeting was held to discuss and prioritize the current and future needs of the City. They analyzed current and future needs, as well as gathered number of players, months played, number of games and practices current and desired, and ages served. The group of over 20 league representatives and officials determined priority needs are six multipurpose rectangular fields and two baseball fields. Many issues were discussed. The ability to practice is important. The lack of practice time once games start is a major problem. Opportunities for maintenance funding were talked about. Grants, private fundraising, league fees, fundraising tournaments, and others were pinpointed. It was agreed that collectively this group has the ability and resources to fundraise. In Attendance: Name League Jim Pellegrino Northampton Soccer Club Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League Dick Powers Junior League Baseball Daniel Pepin Nton Girls Youth Lacrosse Robert K. Ostberg Nton Cal Cal Ripkin Baseball Lance Lashway Nton Fall Baseball Connie Mack Baseball David P. Hoose Mike Laga Youth Baseball Lg Robert Suprenant Nton Youth Soccer Assoc. Andrew Gimaldi Nton Little League Jeff Findlay Nton Youth Soccer Assoc. Putnam Goodwin Boyd Nton Little League Donna McGill Nton Little League Jim Miller Nton High School Athletic Director Carol Bertrand Nton Recreation Commission Michael Noonan Nton Legion Post 28 Ray Ellerbrook Look Memorial Park (Recreation Director for 27 years) Tom Parent Nton Recreation Commission Rich Parisiliti Nton DPW Foreman Parks and Cemetery Division Ann-Marie Moggio Director, Northampton Recreation Department. Directly operate Youth Soccer gr. K,1 &2, TBall, Intro to Softball, Coaches Pitch Mayor Claire Higgins City of Northampton  Data collected from the following leagues who were not able to attend the meeting: Boys Youth Lacrosse, Summer Ball Baseball. RECREATION FIELDS ARE IN HIGH DEMAND RECREATION NEEDS ASSESSMENT RECREATION NEEDS ASSESSMENT RECREATION NEEDS ASSESSMENT PUBLIC PARCELS – RECREATION POTENTIAL Disclaimers on the following sites: 1. Sites assessed were theoretical and not based on any interest in owner to sell or make available. 2. Assessments very preliminary and mostly go/no go level of exploring future options 3. Assessments made to assess overall opportunities, not make final parcel decisions PUBLIC PARCELS – RECREATION POTENTIAL NO: Community gardens or CSA ONLY NO: agriculture value and legal MAYBE: minimal benefit NO: size and location NO: size and access NO: slope, wet, farm value to school NOT NOW: Potential in future NOT NOW: Potential in future NO: Sensitive cap, traffic, conservation POSSIBLE: One field, traffic, access NOT NOW: Potential in future-small CPA application pending EXISTING: Can reconfigure but not new NO: wetlands, wildlife, farmland, legal EXISTING: Can reconfigure but not new --includes new JFK field • Venturers Field Rd: jail farm • Burts Pit: NW State Hospital • Burts Pit: expand Ellerbrook • Sylvester Rd: DPW gravel pit • Haydenville Rd: Smith Voc. VA • Locust St: Smith Voc. Ag. • Glendale Rd: Capped landfill • Glendale Rd: Future cell • Garfield Ave: Capped landfill • Oak St: off bike path • Prospect St: Water Dept • Look Park • Recreation Parcels • Conservation Parcels • Schools Preliminary Assessment only NOT based on parcel availability! PRIVATE PARCELS – RECREATION POTENTIAL  • Island Rd: Ox Bow • Old Ferry Rd: expand Sheldon • Meadows: other than Sheldon • Damon Rd: Lane Construction • Hatfield Rd: Concrete batch • Spring St: Bean Farm • Meadow St: Allard Farm • Ryan Rd: Willard Gravel • Glendale Road: Kensington • Glendale Rd: gravel pit • River Rd: Hampshire Care • Old Wilson Rd: Pine Grove Golf • Haydenville Rd: National Grid • Burts Pit: Private lots • Spring St: Chambers lots • Jackson St: by rail trail NO: Restore agriculture, traffic YES: Two fields over many years NO: Prime agriculture & conservation MAYBE: One field MAYBE: Two fields, expensive YES: Multiple fields but prime ag YES: Multiple fields but prime ag YES: environmental, access YES: One field MAYBE: Multiple fields, prime farmland YES: Two fields, access YES: limited, wet, expense, access MAYBE: One or two fields, many limits MAYBE: One or two fields YES: One or two fields YES: Two fields Preliminary Assessment only NOT based on parcel availability! CITY OF NORTHAMPTON RECREATION -POTENTIAL ASSESSMENT CONCLUSION 1. There are limited options. 2. Some sites would support 1-2 fields. 1. Some of those have limited opportunity to support parking and/or storage facility. 3. Extremely limited for 3 to 6 co-located fields to serve leagues and minimize infrastructure. ~ Continued next page CITY OF NORTHAMPTON RECREATION -POTENTIAL ASSESSMENT CONCLUSION 4. Fact is that the most affordable, flat place for active recreation fields most likely contains farmland. 5. The problems at Island Rd. and growth of sport leagues resulted in an even bigger push to find property. 6. Purchase: The Commissions would apply for CPA (Community Preservation Funds) for the purchase of the property, apply for grant, and fundraise if necessary. 7. Development: The Recreation Commission and members of our community have historically sought and obtained State and Federal Grants, donations, and have successfully fundraised for development or improvements to City facilities. 8. Fields can be developed incrementally, over time, and don’t have to all be done at once. 9. The average cost of one soccer field is $88,000-$130,000, depending on conditions. In Burlington, MA, 2 soccer fields with irrigation and a gravel parking lot cost $280,000 in 2005. *facts from Berkshire Design Inc., Northampton, MA 10. Maintenance: The Recreation Division of the DPW is responsible for maintenance. It is true that the budget is tight, and slated to get worse before better. The Recreation Department understands this. There are creative ways to fundraise, charge user fees, empower leagues to help (as they already do), and work together to maintain fields. 11. Space is needed for fields a. Multipurpose rectangle fields: i.e. lacrosse, soccer: 2-2 ½ acres b. Baseball 60’ diamond: 2 acres square c. Tucking them together, “cloverleaf” is more practical and can reduce acreage need. CITY OF NORTHAMPTON RECREATION -POTENTIAL ASSESSMENT CONCLUSION Sustainable Northampton Comprehensive Plan states the following:  Goal: Expand Open Space and Recreation Areas  Strategy and Action: Acquire land and build facilities to meet the needs for adult and youth athletic and recreation and school teams.