2023-03-01-REC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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2 39 MARRETT ROAD, LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02421 products. Products considered during the Center Recreation field reconstruction project included the durable engineered southern pine wood particle infill. She explained that organics are cooler in general, however, a lot of collegiate clients do not use the organics because they hold water and can freeze, making them unsafe to use in the shoulder seasons. She stated that the working group will have to determine what the tradeoffs are and what they find to be acceptable . Melissa Battite added that the Town strives to meet the demands and the needs for play, while also looking at it from a maintenance standpoint. Currently the Town maintains both natural grass and synthetic turf, and to introduce a 3rd fill would add additional impacts to maintenance costs. Claire Sheth stated that Lexington is in New England and therefore, she is in favor of synthetic turf for safety. She is concerned that there might be a push to play on surfaces that are not safe – placing ankles, heads, and joints at risk because people will play on them regardless of conditions. Tim Clackson, representing the Lexington United Soccer Club (LUSC), is on the Board and involved in scheduling for the teams. The program runs year-round soccer for 1400 youth, mainly in grades K – 8 with some high school programs. He stated that they have a great collaborative relationship with Lexington Recreation and the Recreation Committee. Having consistent playability is key and urged the group to think about the shoulder seasons. He feels it is important to find the maximum field usage for the maximum residents. The synthetic turf (based on the field study) is the way to go. He added that it is important to recognize that when the access goes down during the high school renovation, field space will be at an even greater shortage. On behalf of LUSC, he supports the analysis that has been done. Mark Sandeen, member of the Select Board, asked for confirmation that the Recreation Committee is proposing to procure PFAS-free fields. He also asked about the disposal of existing field material, are there insurances from contractors that the materials will not end up in waste water or incinerated in the air? Ms. Buczynski responded that they will reuse materials whenever possible, however, no one will currently take the carpet for recycling so the only option is repurposing. Weiwei Li commended the team for a great presentation and thanked everyone for their work. He stated his support for the project and asked if there were any details on the proposed timeline? Ms. Buczynski responded that those details are not available yet since the project has not been approved. Some study work will be needed first and she expects a 10 – 12 week construction process. Deepika Sawhney, liaison to the School Committee, questioned if more than one field will be done at a time and if the construction will impact the boundaries between them. Lisa O’Brien confirmed that only one field will be offline at a time. Ms. Buczynski added that none of the fields touch each other and there are pathways with timbers bordering the fields. Cindy Arens, Chair of the Sustainable Lexington Committee and part of the Lincoln Park working group, stated that she looks forward to seeing the presentation on the website and added that she may have some more questions following review Resident, Lin Jensen, asked the Committee what signage will be posted at the field. She referenced the Department of Environmental Health’s webpage on artificial turf fields and tips on safe use of the fields. She would like the group to consider having signage with statements like “always wear shoes and keep mouth closed.” Christian Boutwell responded that based on the project and available budget, he believed this would be fine. Melissa Battite said such signage would be similar to what is at playgrounds on how to safely use them. Rick DeAngelis added that email communication will be sent out to the user groups. The Recreation Committee serves the entirety of the community and the working group came out of the collaborative efforts across many groups.