Politics & Government

Bids Ready to Go Out for Turf Fields Project

Time for waiting is over, Holden says.

With bids for construction of the $3.5-million turf fields project ready to go out, Madison Mayor Mary-Anna Holden took to the sales floor Monday night to clarify planning and environmental concerns that continue to surround development of the 49 Acres.

In a presentation at the borough council meeting at , Holden traced the history of the parcel, starting with aerial photography from 1951 she said shows young stands of trees, not the aged pin oaks some say aren’t properly accounted for in planning for the turf fields.

Responding to complaints that a master plan for the project is urgently needed, Holden displayed conceptual artwork originally rendered by consultant T&M Associates she said was designed to serve as a guide to how the property might be fully developed to include passive recreation such as trails and other activities, while making use of existing features of the property.

The annexation of the 49 Acres will be completed as of Tuesday night.

“The turf fields are only one portion of the master plan,” she said, hauling out a foot-high pile of studies, proposals and other paperwork compiled since 1994. “We have been through every possible configuration. What this project is about is health and wellness, getting kids off the couch, off the X-Box, and out on the fields.”

She said that in April, a passive recreation committee would begin to look at health and wellness opportunities in the 49 Acres for a wider audience.

“The project has been well thought-out and well-researched, it is going out to bid this week. We have a wonderful concept, a wonderful master plan, all the infrastructure is in place. We are going to open it up to a wider swath of people who want to contribute to the design.” 

Afterward the presentation, council member Sam Cerciello repeated his claim that a “time out” is needed on the fields project. “We need a plan, we need input from the Madison Recreation Complex committee, we need to sit down with the new schools superintendent to get the Board of Education’s input. We can make this a masterpiece.”

But council member Don Links refuted Cerciello’s claims. “We have been in time-out for the past six years. We’ve been talking about it since 1994.

“I would love to see my [11-year-old] children play on turf fields before they go to college.”


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