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

• Football field and 6 lane

track

• Baseball field
• Softball field
• Lower practice football field
• No standalone soccer field

Current Athletic Field Complex

• 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 Football Field, Track, and Bleachers

• 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.

Current Facilities

• 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.

Topographic Survey

• 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.

School Committee Approved Proposal

• 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.

Additional Proposals

• 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

Magnitude of Cost Estimate

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
• veruse 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.

Sources of Funding

• Ayer and Shirley Residents
• 10 year debt exclusion financing, based on same Foundation Enrollment calculations as

General Operating Fund.

• Current split is 53% Ayer and 47% Shirley.
• Ayer’s projected portion: $3,577,500
• Shirley’s projected portion: $3,172,500
• Impact on capital debt assessment (10 years @ 3.50% interest rate)
• Ayer: $425,000 avg per year
• Shirley: $376,000 avg per year
• Impact on capital debt assessment (15 years @ 4.00% interest rate)
• Ayer: $317,000 avg per year
• Shirley: $282,000 avg per year
• Ayer Community Preservation Fund
• Naming rights, sponsorships, in-kind donations (materials and/or services),

and community fundraising

Elementary Schools

• 2016 MSBA School Building Survey
• Evaluation of building condition, general environment, capacity, technology, security and

maintenance carried out across public school buildings across the state.

• No imminent danger of structural failure for either elementary school.
• Building Condition Score: 3 (scale is 1-4, with 1 being the best)
• A rating of 3 indicates that, “…site and building conditions require moderate … renovation in the near future…”
• General Environment Score: 1 (scale is 1-4, with 1 being the best)
• A rating of 1 indicates that, “…the schools provide an adequate physical environment in which to teach and learn. The continued
• verall good condition is due in large part to the ongoing financial commitment of the municipalities…”
• 2017 maintenance projects completed with general fund or capital

stabilization monies

• Lead in drinking water remediation at PH.
• Window and skylight blind replacement at both schools.
• New carpet in classrooms, library, and music room at PH.
• New HVAC system in administration wing at LAW.
• Preventative roof repairs at both schools.
• Classroom lights repaired and replaced at both schools.
• Continued use of inmate labor for painting, cleaning, and small landscaping

during winter and summer breaks.

Elementary Schools, cont.

• Facilities assessment to be completed in early 2018
• To cover Page Hilltop and Lura A. White
• Assessment of current facilities and projections of future facility needs.
• Will identify any major issues that could be submitted to MSBA’s Major Repair or Accelerated

Repair programs.

• Will assist in focusing a future feasibility study of regional or separate elementary school
• ptions.
• Cost of ~$30,000, compared to $750,000+ feasibility study
• A complete 3 year Capital Plan is available in the yearly ASRSD Budget

Handbook.

• Site walked with Devens
• fficials August 2017.
• Maintenance of lawns and

grass areas handled by Town of Shirley DPW.

• Playing fields under

purview of Shirley Recreational Fields Committee.

• Remnants of former Fort

Devens buildings can be found at a shallow depth below grass surface.

Ayer Shirley Middle School Land

• Currently used by ASRMS

soccer teams for games and practices.

• Fields under purview of

Shirley Recreational Fields Committee.

Wilde Road Soccer Complex

Financial Timeline

• Winter and Spring 2018: Reconvene ASRHS Field Complex Committee with

new focus on:

• Determining naming rights, fundraising, sponsorship opportunities;
• Public relations and marketing via online, print, and video campaigns;
• Partnerships with athletic booster programs;
• Refinement of cost estimates and financial planning with member towns;
• May 2018: Ayer and Shirley Town Meetings to seek approval of debt

exclusion ballot measure.

• June 2018: Ayer and Shirley Debt Exclusion Election
• Summer / Fall 2018: Project begins and borrowing commences.

Construction Timeline

• Summer/Fall 2018: Project put out to bid.
• Winter 2018/2019: Bids reviewed and project awarded.
• Spring 2019: Site preparation and basic construction begin when ground is

thawed.

• Spring 2019: Full construction begins as spring sports conclude.
• Summer and Fall 2019: Full construction; some fall sports will be relocated

to other facilities to allow for construction and grow in.

• Spring 2020: Construction resumes; some spring sports will be relocated to
• ther facilities to allow for construction and grow in.
• Summer 2020: Construction is completed.
• Fall 2020: Grand re-opening of all facilities.

Thank you!