ASRHS Athletic Field Complex Ayer & Shirley Elected Officials ~ - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

ASRHS Athletic Field Complex Ayer & Shirley Elected Officials ~ December 6, 2017 ~ ASRHS Field Complex Committee

Agenda ASRHS Field Complex Committee introduction  Current field facilities  School Committee approved proposal  Additional proposals  Project drivers  Project benefits  Funding sources  Elementary schools  Ayer Shirley Middle School land / Wilde Road fields  Timelines 

ASRHS Field Complex Committee Membership (voting)  3 residents each from Ayer and Shirley  Ayer: Murray Clark, Steve Desy, Doug Preston  Shirley: Keith Begun, Tony Casto, Kevin Heinz  3 members of ASRSD School Committee  Jonathan Deforge, Dan Gleason, Pat Kelly  Membership (advisory)  ASRSD Superintendent, Finance Director, Facilities Director, Athletic Director, and selected  coaches Ayer and Shirley Town Administrators, Town of Ayer DPW Superintendent, and SMMA  architects Convened Jan. 2017 and reached a final recommendation Sept. 2017 

Current Athletic Field Complex • Football field and 6 lane track • Baseball field • Softball field • Lower practice football field • No standalone soccer field

Current Football Field, Track, and Bleachers • Facility is 50 years old with minimal improvements during that time. • Bleachers are at field level and are not ADA compliant. • Middle of field reduced to bare spots by end of fall sports season. • Jumping pits are located between track and playing surface. • There are no restroom facilities outside high school building.

Current Facilities • Top left: Bleachers made of wood (white) and metal (silver). • Top right: Field level bleachers with no ADA access. Area to right of bleachers is susceptible to washout due to poor drainage. • Bottom: Snack shack and ticket booth.

Current Facilities • Top left: Existing bench area for baseball field. • Top right: Existing bench area for softball field. • Bottom: Existing lower field

Current Facilities • Current varsity sized soccer field in outfield of baseball field. • Due to runout requirements, current field encroaches on clay baseball infield by ~10ft.

Topographic Survey • Gentle sloping on existing playing fields. • Steep drop-offs at the tree line on the southeast and east sides of the property. • Additional steep drop-off from northeast corner of softball field to lower field.

School Committee Approved Proposal • Reshaped track with 8 lane straightaway and jumping pits relocated to D-rings. • Synthetic turf multipurpose field. • ADA compliant raised bleachers and press box. • Concession stand and restroom facility. • Relocation of softball field to lower field (ADA accessible). • Creation of additional soccer fields.

School Committee Approved Proposal • Reshaped track with 8 lane straightaway and jumping pits relocated to D-rings. • Synthetic turf multipurpose field. • ADA compliant raised bleachers and press box. • Concession stand and restroom facility. • Relocation of softball field to lower field (ADA accessible). • Creation of additional soccer fields.

School Committee Approved Proposal • New dugouts for baseball and softball fields. • New scoreboards for football/soccer, baseball, and softball. • Replacement backstops.

Additional Proposals • Top left: New track and multipurpose field. • Top right: New track, multipurpose field, and adjustment to PH roadway. • Middle left: New track, multipurpose field, and baseball diamond turned to accommodate soccer field. • Middle right: New track, multipurpose field, baseball and softball diamonds turned to accommodate soccer field. • Bottom left: New track, multipurpose field, baseball and softball diamonds turned to accommodate soccer field. • Bottom right: Possible locations for displaced throwing events due to synthetic field.

Magnitude of Cost Estimate • Mobilization / Site Prep: $150,000 • Track: $2,000,000 • Synthetic Turf Field: $1,400,00 • Bleachers: $400,000 • Concession stand / restrooms: $700,000 • Lighting: $400,000 • Lower and upper field improvements: $1,200,000 • Contingency: $500,000 • Total: $6,750,000

Maintenance & Life Expectancy Synthetic turf carpet  Ongoing maintenance  Weekly to bi-monthly: brushing  Bi-monthly to seasonally: add infill  Annually: inspect and replace lost infill  3 years: vacuum  Warranty: 5-8 years, depending on installer and product supplier  Life expectancy: 10 years  Replacement cost: $800,000  Track surface  Ongoing maintenance  3-5 years: restriping  5-7 years: recoating  Warranty: 5-8 years, depending on installer and product supplier  Life expectancy: 10 years  Replacement cost: $200,000  Ongoing maintenance to be funded via facility rental fees and increased gate receipts.  Yearly school budget to reserve a small portion of the major element replacement  costs.

Local Communities with Synthetic Turf Fields Groton Dunstable (in progress) Littleton Lunenburg Nashoba Tech

Project Drivers Track surface in need of repair and / or rebuild.  Last resurfacing done in 2002 at a cost of $85,000  No give in surface resulting in athlete injuries; jumping pit run ups are crumbling.  Initial cost estimates for repair of $200,000+  Improvements were identified during high school renovation project, but were pulled from the  project to ensure the academic facility improvements would be approved. The cost at that time was estimated at $2.5 million, but no portion was reimbursable from  MSBA. At the time, $2.5 million was only for track and football field improvements. Increased enrollment at high school  2011-12: 307 students; 2014-15: 341 students; 2016-17: 409 students (33% increase)  Projected 3-5 years: 415-430 per year  Increased participation in fall and spring sports  2013: 222 roster spots; 2017: 409 roster spots (85% increase)  Addition of JV football and JV boys and girls soccer since 2013  Varsity and JV soccer games must be played consecutively instead of simultaneously  Increased participation in track and field  Over 100 students from HS and MS participate in spring track and field. 

Project Drivers, cont. High school start times  The School Committee and Superintendent are considering later start times for high school  students, which would require athletic events to start later in the day. Poor lighting on current soccer field may lead to more injuries or incomplete games.  Spring field conditions and scheduling conflicts  Baseball and softball teams often relegated to practicing in gymnasium until snow melts and  fields dry out. Teams could now use the synthetic turf field for practice. Baseball and softball cannot practice or play games if field events are relocated from synthetic  field. Likewise track and field cannot use outfields if baseball and softball are using their respective fields for practice or games. Continued retention of student athletes 

Project Benefits Synthetic turf multipurpose field  New ability to host more football, soccer, lacrosse, or field hockey games without worry of  overuse or destruction of natural grass surface. Additional spring use for baseball and softball practice. Expands opportunities for “in kind” donations from Ayer and Shirley Recreation departments.  Expands opportunities for rentals to community groups and other organizations for games,  recreational sport leagues, tournaments, or camps. Ability to add lacrosse and field hockey if demand is presented.  More night games can be played to allow parents to watch their children play.  Varsity and JV soccer games can be played simultaneously while football still has room to  practice. Conservation of water and fertilizer products, while reducing mowing and striping costs.  Reconfigured and expanded track  Ability to host district track and field meet that charges admission.  Heat races expand from 6 to 8 participants allowing meets to progress faster.  Jumping pits relocated for field athlete safety.  Ability for athletes to participate in pole vault. 

Project Benefits, cont. Improved fan experience  Raised, ADA compliant bleachers.  Adjacent bleachers for baseball field.  Shared ADA compliant press box for multipurpose field and baseball.  Congregation plaza near bleachers, concession stand, and restroom facilities.  High school no longer needs to be open for restroom availability.  Realigned baseball outfield / soccer field  Entire field of play is grass as there is no need to use baseball diamond’s clay infield.  Creation of a second full size varsity field.  Varsity and JV soccer games can be played simultaneously.  Baseball center field deepened to current recommended dimensions.  Right field drainage issue corrected.  Relocated softball field  Allows field events to move from current football field to newly created practice field,  maintaining line of sight during practices and meets. Ability to line 2 more JV sized soccer fields, allowing up to 4 concurrent soccer games to take  place. Covered bench areas created for player safety and comfort.  ADA compliant walking paths allow for accessibility to lower field. 