Wareham Gateman ask school committee to back $645,000 Spillane Field lighting project ahead of town meeting

The Wareham Gateman asked the Wareham School Committee on Oct. 16 to back a Community Preservation Committee (CPC) warrant article seeking town funding to replace aging lights at Spillane Field.

Matt Merrick, president of the Wareham Gateman, and Mike Chaplin, vice president, described the existing light poles as “35 plus years old, well beyond their usable life,” and said they are “becoming dangerous.” Merrick said the group is seeking CPC funding and is contributing private money to the project: “The warrant in front of town meeting through the CPC is asking for 620,000, 645,000 with a little contingency dollars. The Wareham Gateman are putting in another $100,000 of Gateman private money to the project,” he said.

The presenters told the committee the project would replace wooden poles and halogen fixtures with aluminum poles and LED fixtures that they estimate will cut energy use by about 75 percent, reduce maintenance and eliminate the long warm-up periods associated with the current lights. Merrick said the new fixtures will have “much more control” to limit light spilling into neighboring homes and to illuminate only the playing areas in use.

Committee members questioned scope and controls. One member asked whether the new system could aim light at adjacent Palmer Field; Merrick replied the design is limited to Spillane Field, but the fixtures will be dimmable and controllable so separate areas (for example, a football field versus a baseball infield) can be lit independently. Another committee member cited other local installations and said neighbors can be satisfied when lights are properly aimed and controlled.

Merrick noted previous investment in the site, including a recent $936,000 renovation to the baseball infield and dugouts, and framed the lighting project as supporting continued evening activities: “The ability for a young athlete…to be able to play a game under the lights…that becomes something they remember forever.” The Gateman representatives said vendors have been vetted and the group believes the budget will meet the project needs.

After questions, a committee member moved to “support the fall town warrant CPC request.” The committee voted by voice to support the request and the presenters were thanked and dismissed.

With town meeting scheduled in the coming weeks, Merrick urged committee members to attend the town meeting vote; the group will present the CPC warrant article to the town in that forum.

Ending: The committee recorded its support and made no additional conditions; the project will proceed to town meeting where townwide approval and final appropriation must be decided.