More Planning Was Needed

For Ball Fields

To the Editor,

My letter of March 10th was in response to the article “Costs Escalate For Ball Fields On Amaral Property,” printed in the March 3rd edition of The Newtown Bee. In that article, the only person quoted on behalf of the Parks and Recreation Department was Director Barbara Kasbarian. I was addressing her statements.

I would now like to respond to your letter in the March 17th edition of The Bee. If you don’t mind, I’ll use your format so I am sure to address everything.

A) The article in The Bee stated the plan was for two ball fields; however, “the town is being asked to pay $500,000 per field.” According to Mrs Kasbarian, “It normally costs $200,000 to build a field if you want to do it correctly.” She estimated the total cost of this project to be approximately $1,000,000.

B-C) The “wetlands” I referred to are the “unforeseen wetland areas” Mrs Kasbarian mentioned in the article. She stated these areas were the reason for an increase in the original request for project funding. I believe what your “field planning consultants” found was ground water and not wetland areas. Ground water would not be found without a deep test being performed. The basis for my letter was my disbelief that Parks and Recreation was just being made aware of “wetland areas” on the Amaral property. As I stated, it is “nearly impossible not to notice these areas.” Perhaps Mrs Kasbarian was incorrect in calling the discovery of ground water “wetland areas;” in any event, that was the term she used, so that was what I addressed.

D) The funding for these fields is expected to come, at least in part, from the taxpayers of Newtown. As I understand it, the funding, at least in part, for the purchase of Fairfield Hills is also expected to come from the taxpayers of Newtown. Bottom Line: We are footing the bill!

E) I am not opposed to Newtown Parks and Recreation wanting to install more ball fields. I have two children who attend Newtown schools, and who benefit from Park and Recreation’s programs, which I support and pay for. I am opposed to the taxpayers of Newtown being expected to cover the cost of a situation that, in my opinion, should have been investigated further. The town purchased the Amaral property with the intention of using at least part of it for ball fields. Perhaps the “field planning consultants” should have been involved before the funds were committed to this project.

F) My remarks may have been wrongly directed at Mrs Kasbarian, but she was the one who was quoted in The Bee article. You, Mr Haskel, as chairman of the Parks and Recreation Commission, were not mentioned.

Last, but not least, it is true, I have lived in Newtown since 1975. I also found it very interesting to note, in another article in The Bee (March 17th edition), Mr Pierre Rochman, chairman of the Legislative Council voicing his concern that our town is “… very susceptible to special interest groups and does a poor job of planning.” I see I am not alone in my thinking.

Sincerely,

Nancy J. Dance

188 Brushy Hill Road                                              March 21, 2000