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Residents urge board to revive 2015 plan for field behind Beechwood to meet growing youth soccer demand
Summary
Mountainside FC's founder told the board the town's soccer participation has nearly doubled and urged the board to reopen a 2015 plan to add a 110x65 grass field behind Beechwood with lights and irrigation; council and residents offered support and discussed grants and funding options.
During the public-comment portion of the meeting, Mikaela Whalen, founder and president of Mountainside FC (a volunteer 501(c)(3) soccer club), urged the board to revisit a previously discussed plan to build a full-size grass field behind Beechwood to address acute field shortages.
Whalen said participation has grown sharply — citing 66 spring players in 2022 compared with 114 players and nine teams in the current spring season — and that spring scheduling is constrained because Borough Hall and Deerfield are unavailable due to maintenance and baseball/softball. She said Echo Lake Park permits are limited and often prioritized to programs from other towns, leaving Mountainside clubs scrambling for field time.
Whalen described an earlier 2015 plan for a 110x65-yard grass field with lights and irrigation that would have required regrading, drainage work, sodding and removal of about five trees; she said the community (including Mountainside FC) is prepared to pursue grants, fundraising and volunteer maintenance and that the field would be intended for local youth use, not tournaments.
A council member who identified himself as Alex Van Duzer reiterated that the site behind Beechwood is the most viable long-term option and said town officials and the board should coordinate on potential funding; board members asked for updated cost estimates and for the proponents to share prior plans and 2015 numbers. The administration acknowledged that prior conversations occurred and recommended a coordinated discussion between the town and board to move forward.
Board members and residents also discussed potential grant sources and the trade-offs of county or state grants (which can impose scheduling constraints). The board asked proponents to provide updated estimates and the original plans so staff and the borough can examine options collaboratively.
Separately, a resident raised ongoing concerns about bus-driver shortages and route reliability; administration said driver shortages are nationwide and the district is pursuing alternatives to improve service.
