Gorham will be seeking the approval of voters to spend $750,000 on constructing a multi-purpose playing field and softball diamond at the Gorham Middle School.
“I can’t urge the community enough to support this,” said Mike Wing, who heads up Play Gorham, a citizens group advocating for more athletic fields. “It’s pretty critical,” Wing said about the shortage.
Gorham, a growing community, has seen an increased demand for fields in recent years by both recreation leagues and school teams. Coping with the shortage, some school athletes are bused to other fields in town for practices and games.
The refendum question going to voters on Nov. 6 won’t ask voters to approve borrowing money. The town would use $550,000 from a recreation impact fee account and $200,000 of $250,000 left over from building the middle school.
“It won’t impact property taxes,” said Town Manager David Cole.
Cole said the town needed voter approval to spend money deposited in the impact fee account, although the money was collected for recreation purposes.
The middle school now has fields for soccer and baseball along with a multi-purpose field. The middle school building committee had recommended adding a $719,000 referendum question in 2001 for additional athletic fields, but the measure failed to receive school committee support.
“This is an extension of fields that were never developed because of a lack of funds,” Jim Hager, chairman of the school committee, told the town council at a public hearing Tuesday about the referendum.
“There’s a great shortage. We need additional space for recreation,” Hager said earlier this week, adding the fields would be available for public use.
Cindy Hazelton, director of Gorham Recreation Department, said Tuesday 250 children play youth soccer and 540 children ages kindergarten through Grade 6 play in recreation department sports programs in addition to school teams.
“It’s quite a juggling act,” Hazelton said about scheduling use of fields.
Hazelton said the proposed additional fields would help middle school softball, community youth teams and expanding recreation department adult leagues find fields for play. Hazelton said existing fields don’t get a breather. “We’re just playing,” Hazelton said. “We don’t rest ever.”
Hazelton said seventh- and eighth-grade softball players are bused for practice and games and high school lacrosse players are bused to practice.
“We’ve stuffed our 10 pounds into a five-pound sack,” Hazelton said about the field shortage.
The field shortage problem intensified this fall when the Gorham Youth Soccer Association lost use of six soccer fields at the former fairgrounds off Narragansett Street. The association leased land from Hannaford supermarket at that site, but the Gorham bypass, which is under construction, is slicing through that property.
Wing said those soccer fields aren’t being used now. “That was a trigger point,” said Wing, who added the group formed in late spring.
Play Gorham has representatives from a variety of organizations like the soccer association, Gorham Grizzlies football, recreation and school departments.
Wing said Play Gorham’s goal is to involve the whole community in a drive to solve the field shortage.
“We’re focused on multi-purpose fields,” Wing said. “Everybody needs more fields.”
Wing said a recent town study determined the town could use as many as 14 more multi-purpose fields. Wing said Play Gorham has met with town councilors and Cole about the shortage.
After fields, any money left would be used to develop additional parking at the middle school.
Norm Justice, chairman of the town council, encouraged voters to support the referendum and hoped that the town could receive “some good winter bids” for the project. “There’s a tremendous need out there,” Justice said.
Wing said the recreation department and the various community clubs have done a good job promoting sports. Wing said the referendum is just the first step in alleviating the shortage problem.
“There’ll be multiple phases,” Wing said. “We know there’s no quick fix.”
Hazelton said the Little Falls recreation area and town-owned land near the Narragansett School on Main Street are being looked at for future proposals.
Hazelton said the field shortage created by the high level of participation is a good problem.
“We’re grateful we have a community that cares about healthy kids,” Hazelton said.
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