Granby Athletic Field Long Range Advisory Committee
The Granby Athletic Field and Recreational Facility Survey has been closed. The committee thanks all those who took the time to complete the survey.
The following is an interim report from the committee.
Of Note: I would like to clarify the comment regarding Holcomb Farm in the GAFLAC article in the May 1, 2008 issue of the Granby Drummer. Holcomb Farm is NOT considered as a site for any athletic fields now or in the future. The Holcomb Farm reference is an example of the Committee’s due diligence in assessing all opportunities to solve the Town’s long-range athletic field and recreational needs.
The intent of this article is to provide information on the progress of the Granby Athletic Field Long-Range Advisory Committee (GAFLAC). First, I would like to start off with the Committee’s background, charge and approach. Then outline what we have learned and what are the major issues in front of the committee. And, finally summarize some of our next steps.
Granby Athletic Field Long-Range Advisory Committee Background, Charge and Approach
The Committee was born out of the town leadership recognizing the town’s current athletic fields and related facilities are deficient in meeting the needs of the town’s population and before substantive action could take a place a plan of development needed to occur to provide a framework for action. The Granby Board of Selectmen appointed the Granby Athletic Field Long-Range Advisory Committee (GAFLAC) in the summer of 2007 with the following charge:
Develop a Master Plan for the Town and School Athletic Fields and related facilities, included but not limited to the following:
· Identify existing fields and field related uses
· Indicate benefits and deficiencies of existing fields and field related use
· Evaluate the town’s growth potential and athletic field expectations
· Determine necessary improvements and identify new locations for fields and related facilities
· Develop a timetable for field and facility changes and or improvements
· Outlined proposed recommendations, along with preliminary cost estimates
The Committee was assembled which consisted of five citizens with voting rights and one non-voting member each from the Board of Selectmen and Board of Education. The path the committee has followed is straightforward:
· Establish clear objectives
· Utilize experienced professional consulting services
· Understand the current state of fields and recreational facilities
· Understand stake holder’s current and future direction and trend
· Identify gaps between current state and future state
· Establish guiding principles to base decisions on
· Prioritize gaps
· Establish alternatives to resolve gaps
· Create a master plan outlining the best approach to meet the town’s needs
GAFLAC’s objective is to analyze current and future (20 year horizon) needs of all current and emerging athletic facility stakeholders, factoring in town demographics, growth projections, changing athletic field and recreational needs, and athletic field and recreational expectations. Based on that analysis complete an athletic field long-range master plan that includes recreational and related facilities.
What has the Committee Learned?
The identified ‘stakeholders’ are the Granby School District, Parks and Recreation, Department of Parks and Recreation, Holcomb Farm, private organizations (such as Little League, Rovers, Garden Club, Horse Council, Lacrosse, etc.), business organizations (e.g., YMCA) and Town citizens. Each organized stakeholder was interviewed (15 in total) gathering critical information such as membership, field locations, game and practice scheduling, organizational structure, future trends, volunteer involvement, field maintenance, items they envision needing to be addressed. In conjunction with the interviews, an electronic and paper survey was conducted over a month period during March, giving residents the opportunity to express their needs and opinions. Here are some key observations:
Private Organizations
· Most sports are no longer limited to a single season. As an example, when you travel to Salmon Brook park you can see soccer, softball, baseball and lacrosse all occurring in spring and fall
· The number of participants per organization is extensive. Little League has over 600 boys and girls, ages 5 – 19, a 5% increase since 2006. Grass Fours Volleyball has more than a twenty adult teams with 90 members. Granby Horse Council has 250 plus members. Granby Youth Lacrosse in about five years has grown to over 180 boy and girls, ages 7-14. Rover soccer has 325 boys and girls, ages 9-18.
· Majority of athletic field needs occur during the months of March through October with practice and game times scheduled everyday of the week, including Sundays due to field capacity issues.
· Many fields are used for multiple sports within the same season.
· Field maintenance is a cooperative effort between private organizations and Department of Public Works.
Town of Granby
· Parks and Recreation operates a Summer Camp, which provides services to over 100 children a summer.
· The ‘Town’ fields, mainly located in Salmon Brook and Ahern’s park are used by the School District when field capacity has been reached at the High School Complex.
· Salmon Brook Park entry and exit is problematic as is parking.
· Tennis courts are in need of repair and resurfacing.
· Small, local fields (such as East Road) are creating issues with parking and field maintenance. These fields where not envision to be ‘counted’ on to support town wide organizations.
· Field Maintenance occurs within the town’s budget by the Department of Public Works. With the addition of Ahern’s property, Lacrosse sport, new Little League diamond at Salmon Brook Park, the staff is stretched thin.
Granby School District
· Over 22 teams utilize the fields within the High School/Middle School Complex consisting of over 500 student athletes each year.
· Fields overlap across seasons (for example, soccer is played on the girls softball field, lacrosse and field hockey use the same location).
· No fields within the complex receive a ‘rest period’.
· New outdoor sports can not be added to the complex until more capacity is gained
· The track is non-regulation, difficult to maintain and is one of the last three remaining cinder tracks in Connecticut.
· Tennis courts are in need of resurfacing.
· Field maintenance occurs within the School District’s operating budget and staff is stretched thin due to competing priorities.
· No permanent athletic field storage facility exists.
Town Citizens – Survey Results
· Over 383 town residents participated, remarkable participation, with 94% of the responders being adults of which 64% were families with school age children
· 75% of the respondents use or visit the athletic fields and/or recreational facilities at least once a week.
· The Granby High School/Middle School campus athletic fields received a split opinion, 43% believed the fields are in good shape while 44% thought they are in fair to poor shape
· Salmon Brook and Aherns Park were considered good to excellent by 74% of the responders while 25% felt they were in fair to poor physical condition.
· When asked to compare Granby athletic fields and facilities to towns similar to Granby, 45% felt Granby’s fields and facilities was on par or better than those towns while 46% thought as a whole they are worse.
· When asked to rank importance for the Master Plan, responses were as follows:
o 77% thought that there is an important to very important need to provide improvements to the GMHS campus athletic fields and facilities.
o 68% thought that there is an important to very important need to provide improvements to the Town’s athletic fields and facilities.
o 63% believed adding lights to athletic fields is acceptable to increase field usage
o 53% felt the Board of Education and Board of Selectmen need to maximize current facilities
o 56% believed adding new town land for athletic field expansion is important
o 76% believe improving vehicular access to Salmon Brook Park as being important and 90% responded that parking improvements need to occur.
o 89% believe that field and facilities maintenance are important
· When asked about needs for specific athletic and recreational facilities.
o Over 35% felt it was somewhat important or important to have an outdoor swimming pool
o 40% identified an outdoor skating rink as being important or somewhat important
· When asked about the importance for conveniences at major athletic areas the following occurred.
o 86% requested permanent restrooms
o 95% requested bleachers
o 90% requested concession stands
o 90% requested storage facilities
o 88% requested pavilions/shelters
o 83% requested playground/playscapes
What is clear is that town’s residents are engaged with athletic and recreational activities!
Concurrently, with gathering the demographic needs, the committee gathered maps and surveys depicting the athletic fields and facilities on Town and School land, as well as what land the town has for future growth possibilities. This has pointed out a few specifics.
· If the High School and Middle School Campus was built using today’s standards for field and recreational space the campus would have to add 19 more acres to meet the demands of the student population on this campus.
· The High School and Middle School Campus is on a fixed footprint that cannot be expanded due to being surrounded by wetlands, Department of Public Works, the Cemetery and Route 10/202.
· Parking at the HS/MS Campus is problematic.
· The HS/MS campus is over-maximizing the current field space.
· Purchasing land adjacent to the HS/MS Campus is limited due to wetlands existing across the street on Route 10/202.
· Salmon Brook Park could be configured to maximize the current space, however it is reaching maximum capacity with its current space.
· The Town owns adjacent land that could be utilized to improve access and parking for Salmon Brook Park.
· The majority of the Town’s land inventory is dedicated to ‘Open Space’ and has restrictions for athletic field use.
· Private land acquisitions will most likely be necessary over the next 5-10 year horizon to position the town to continue to support the residents athletic and recreational needs.
In Summary and Our Next Steps
In boiling down over 20 meetings, 10 concept plans, 15 interviews, and walking many of the town and school athletic fields and property, this is where the committee see the main athletic fields and facilities issues are that the town faces. These are not in any priority or in any sequence at this time.
The High School/Middle School Campus needs to gain athletic field capacity in some fashion. Unfortunately, the campus cannot physically expand (as noted prior), however capacity can be gained by replacing grass fields with artificial turf and adding field lighting. This allows practices and games to be scheduled for a longer length of time on a daily basis. Also, the field does not require a ‘rest period’ to rejuvenate. Now, having stated this, the Committee is reviewing the cost benefit for doing this as well as the recent health concerns surrounding the use of artificial turf fields.
In addition to the field capacity issue the High School does not have an official track in which results can be accounted for, nor is the track capable of handling inclement weather. There is a strong need to have an all weather official track
Beyond gaining capacity at the HS/MS complex, more High School sports will need to occur off campus on a consistent basis, most likely at either Aherns or Salmon Brook Park (as it occurs today). This will require a close working relationship with the Town and School District to ensure that fields are properly prepared and impact to organizations outside of the School District is minimized.
The pressure at the HS/MS campus will have an effect on the Salmon Brook and Ahern’s Parks. This will come in the form of increased athletic events occurring, which will require Salmon Brook and Aherns Park to be reconfigured to maximize the land space. At this time, what the reconfiguration will entail has not been fully vetted. However, it will consist of using the Town properties adjacent to Salmon Brook Park.
Within the confines of all of our athletic facilities we need to upgrade the supporting facilities such as restrooms, bleachers, concessions and pavilions. Most of our facilities have temporary restrooms that are seasonal and usually not within a reasonable walking distance.
Finally, additional athletic fields need to occur at some point over the next 5-10 years or possibly sooner. This can occur either by using existing town lands or acquiring new land.
As we solidify our Master plan and recommendations we will be hosting town information meetings as well as meetings with the Town Boards. We will be seeking feedback on the Master plan. We want to make sure the plan is well thought out, well understood and supported.
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