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Politics & Government

Peters Council Debates Park Programs

Council approved a proposal from Axis Architecture, by a 6-1 vote, to design artificial turf for a ball field in Peterswood Park.

Plans to make improvements to Ball Field No. 5 in , regarding recreation availabilities in the township for adults and youth, touched off a long debate among Peters Township Council members Monday night.

Council approved a proposal from Axis Architecture, by a 6-1 vote, to design artificial turf for the field at a cost of $39,500 plus surveying.

It also tabled a proposal for lighting the field, pending the completion of the turf survey. Schultheis Electric was the low bidder at a cost of $199,390 for standard lighting, and $204,000 for enhanced lighting.

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Councilman Robert Lewis cast the dissenting vote against approval for the turf design saying that organized youth programs would be the benefactor of the improved field, and most other Peters Township residents would never get an opportunity to use the field. He also noted that there are a number of other areas in the park which are not being used.

“I am adamantly opposed to spending more money especially in light of what the school district is doing to improve and light the field behind the ,” he said. “We’ve got great fields and I know they get a lot of use, but I think the public in this community deserves more attention and focus in all other sports.”

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Lewis said he was voting against the plan because “there is a greater population out there that is entitled to the benefits of the money.”

Councilman James Berquist said communities all around Peters Township have undertaken plans to covert their athletic fields to turf surfaces because it maximizes the availability of the field for all sports organizations.

“Especially this year with all the rain we have had, teams have to have the chance to get all of their games and practices in,” he said. “An artificial turf isn’t as much as a luxury than it is a necessity for us to have all the programs we have and want.”

Berquist said it’s cheaper in the long run to convert to artificial turf than to repair a grass field every year. 

“The increase in usage we will get will be worth it,” he said. 

Councilwoman Monica Merrill said she was less opposed to artificial turf than she is to lighting the field.

“However, I think it’s a balance," she said. "People say that we never have enough fields, but you’re serving that population better than you’re serving other populations. I think that’s the point Mr. Lewis was making, that there are other people in the township who would never use a youth sports field. I think we need to supply an alternative for them, too.”

Councilman Frank Arcuri said he disagreed that the ball fields are serving a small portion of the community, noting that a large portion of soccer and softball players use the township fields.

Councilman David Ball asked Parks and Recreation Director Michele Harmel if there were opportunities within the park for groups of adults or senior citizens to play pick-up softball games, touch football games or other sports activities.

“People have called and asked if they can use certain fields if they’ve rented a shelter, and we make an effort to contact teams who have been very cooperative about scheduling around the times,” she said.  

Harmel said the parks department has also had citizen requests for a dog park and spray park, which the board is considering for future projects.

Lewis said other projects should be considered as well.

“We’ve got acres and acres of property," he said. "There could be walking trails, facilities for hockey, and groups have asked for basketball courts for years. We need to give the public more attention."

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