Duxbury Recreation Collaborative Proposes $25-28 Million Field Improvement Plan

Plan aims to address overused sports fields and improve facilities for youth programs

DUXBURY, MA - May 13 - The Duxbury Recreation Collaborative presented a $25-28 million plan to improve and expand sports fields in town during a recent Selectboard meeting. The comprehensive proposal aims to address severely overused fields and enhance facilities for the town's youth sports programs.

Drew Thawley, representing the DRC, outlined the plan which includes new turf fields, renovations to existing facilities, and improved amenities such as bathrooms and walking paths. Thawley emphasized the critical need for improvements, citing data showing some fields are used at 450 percent of their useful capacity.

"We're losing the integrity of our athletic programs, and we're losing them at the cost of club programs," Thawley said. "We need to do everything we possibly can to maintain the integrity of our youth sports programs that are in town."

The proposal would increase the number of synthetic turf fields from one to six. According to Thawley, these fields could generate significant revenue for the town.

"Soccer fields alone in a nine or 10 year time horizon would generate four and a half, five million dollars in non-Duxbury based revenue," he stated.

The DRC represents 11 youth sports programs in Duxbury, reaching approximately 1,500 to 1,600 homes in the community. Thawley stressed the importance of these programs for building friendships and community connections.

Selectboard members expressed support for the project's goals but raised concerns about environmental impact and funding sources. Board member Amy MacNab emphasized the need for an environmental impact study, particularly regarding the use of synthetic turf.

"I think an environmental impact study is the most important priority for me before I could even consider the suitability of these additional fields," MacNab said.

Thawley indicated that the DRC plans to fund the project through private donations and corporate support. However, Town Manager René Read noted that there are hurdles to overcome regarding the flow of money and donor recognition on town land.

The project would be implemented in phases over two to four years, with priority given to improvements at Chandler Elementary School and turfing of fields at the high school.

Select Board Chairman Michael McGee commended the DRC for their initiative and use of private funds for the initial study.

"You found a way to utilize private money to do this study that would have taken Town Meeting approval, would have taken some kind of task force of some sort, maybe taken years," McGee said.

The board did not take any formal action on the proposal but expressed interest in further discussions and obtaining recommendations from the town's Highway Safety Committee regarding signage and field locations.

As the meeting concluded, Thawley emphasized the urgency of the project, citing the trend of families leaving town sports programs for club teams.

"We're doing it because of what I just said, maintaining the integrity of our athletic programs in town where friendships are built and families meet each other, and that's what we need to be investing in," he said.