Politics & Government
Ellington Looks for New Soccer Site
The Board of Selectmen Discussed on Monday Potential Places for the Parks and Rec. to have a New Soccer Field
With a growing number of children enrolled in the program, the town’s recreation department is in need of another soccer field.
Monday night, Selectwoman Lori Spielman said that the Parks and Recreation Commission has asked for two acres of land, possible a wetland area on Middle Road, to use as a new soccer field.
“I think you’re looking at just a simple grass field,” Spielman said about what the department is considering to use for soccer.
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The town is currently leasing the 60-acre piece of land on Middle Road to a local farmer who uses about 57 acres of the site for crops. The farmer said the recreation department could use the remaining three acres, as they are too wet for farm purposes, officials said.
Although wetlands are not acceptable for some farmland, they are for playing recreational soccer, Spielman said.
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The downside to the site is that there could be issues with parking and the actual land. Testing would need to be done on the soil before people are allowed to play on the property.
Spielman said, “Just look at this as a start,” when board members wondered how they would work out all of the details.
Another site potential site for a new soccer field is the Santini Conservation Park on Pinney Street, which the town acquired in December. The property is a flat piece of land that is maintained mostly by the town. There is a potential for easy parking off of Lower Butcher Road making it a more desirable location to play soccer.
People already use the property to play Frisbee, fly model helicopters and airplanes, and to hit golf balls. The Hockanum walking trails are also located behind the land, which would complement the soccer field.
“It’s already there…we should find some way to get a little bit of use out of it,” Selectman Ronald Stomberg said “That’s where the people are.”
First Selectman Maurice Blanchette said he would discuss their ideas with Recreation Director Bob Tedford. Spielman offered to survey the park to see what the next steps would be.
“We’re not asking for the world, we just want a little piece…we’ve got so many kids now,” Spielman said. “We need fields!”
