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Committee hears safety concerns about varsity baseball field; $87,000 turf replacement proposed
Summary
Committee member Mike reported the varsity baseball infield at the field complex is unsafe and that a state‑contract vendor quoted $87,000 to remove and replace turf. The committee treated the proposal as a first read and asked for specs to be distributed ahead of an August vote.
The Walpole Public Schools Building Committee heard a first‑read proposal to repair the varsity baseball field at the town field complex after committee member Mike said the infield has become unsafe and unplayable.
Mike told the committee the infield’s sand has degraded over decades and the grass has grown uneven, creating a lip that causes batted balls to jump unpredictably. “We had 2 kids get hit in the face with the ball,” Mike said, citing recent playoff games that the team played at an alternate site because of field conditions.
Mike said the school department and the Department of Public Works have been trading information and that a sports‑turf specialist provided a detailed quote for full infield work: remove the existing turf, rebuild and re‑grade the sand base and install new natural turf. The total price on the quote is $87,000. Mike said the vendor is a state‑contracted company and has worked on professional and collegiate facilities.
Committee members discussed timing and usage. The work is most effective in late summer into fall when seed germination and cooler, wetter weather favor turf establishment. Committee members noted the field is used not only for varsity baseball but also for PE classes and recess and that the field would be out of commission for a period while work proceeds.
When asked whether the work could be completed in time for spring athletics, Mike said the vendor indicated it could make the field playable by next spring but that he would confirm a schedule and the vendor’s timeline. The committee was told natural turf will require irrigation and care during the germination period; staff confirmed the field is irrigated.
Mike said he is presenting the estimate as a first read and is not asking for an immediate vote. He said he hopes the committee can consider using contingency funds because the $87,000 cost is large for the school department alone. One committee member reiterated a previously stated position against spending building funds on baseball fields.
The committee asked Mike to email the quote and specifications to staff for distribution before the August meeting, when members expect to take a vote.
No formal vote on the turf work was taken at the meeting; the item will return to the committee for consideration in August.
