The first official step to installing turf at the Haddonfield Memorial High School football field and borough-owned (and bordering) Anniversary Field was taken last week, as the board of education approved a resolution to allocate $150,000 for the project if the Haddonfield turf committee meets several requirements.
A representative from the turf committee detailed a plan to turf the high school football field and Anniversary Field for a little more than $1 million, half of which would be covered through private donations.
Joseph Del Duca, the chairman of the turf committee, appeared before the board of education to give details on a plan the committee has been formulating for the past two years.
The committee reviewed the borough’s open space master plan, which noted “an explosion of need for active recreation areas” in the borough. It also described the inferior condition of Haddonfield playing fields and the need to upgrade and maintain the facilities, he said.
With youth sports exploding in the borough and no new space to build additional athletic fields, it was determined a turf field would open up new possibilities and help alleviate the current field problems for all Haddonfield athletes.
The high school field is already lighted, has the necessary amenities, the proximity to the school and the proximity and number of residential neighbors makes the field a perfect candidate to be turfed, he said.
The committee commissioned an outbound and topographic survey of the entire property, a full title report, and a geotechnical report detailing the characters of the soils for drainage and as a possible foundation for the fields.
Based on the specifications, the high school field would cost $654,180 to turf and the Anniversary Field would cost $355,121.
It’s an extensive and expensive project, Del Duca said, which is why the turf committee is pledging to raise — at a minimum — $500,000 for the project. Currently, the committee already has approximately $250,000 raised, he said, and three fundraising activities planned for the future.
The Haddonfield Educational Trust has chosen the turf committee as the benefactor for funds raised at its June 11 golf and barbeque event. The committee will also begin a capital fundraising campaign and will host a formal event at Tavistock Country Club on Nov. 17.
Del Duca will also appear before the commissioners at a future meeting to procure funding for Anniversary Field.
It’s not out of the realm of possibility that the committee won’t be able to raise all of the money necessary for the project, Del Duca said.
“It’s critical that a very meaningful and sizeable amount of money be raised for this project,” he said. “I feel confident that we will raise at least $500,000.”
If the committee does not raise $500,000, or the price of the project changes dramatically, or the borough decides to not allocate money, the BOE can repeal its $150,000.
If everything goes according to plan, the turf field could be installed next year and be ready for use by the fall of 2013.
The commissioners unanimously approved the resolution to allocate the $150,000 for the project.
