At Fairfield Hills—

Building Demolition, Ball Field, Trails Work Due In Coming Months

By Kendra Bobowick

Fairfield Hills Authority Chairman Robert Geckle wants the playing field and recreation trails projects back on schedule — now. And he made that clear to O&G Preconstruction Manager George Graikoski during a Tuesday night meeting.

“I guess my point is, we’re going to manage this really closely. I don’t want to see it slip,” he said.

Member John Reed interjected, “It’s already slipped.”

Costs for one playing field, demolition and abatement, trails, and parking is an estimated $1.8 million. These costs and timeline as presented in November saw bid packages and solicitations taking place in late January and contracts awarded at approximately this time in February. Also originally intended to take place now were plans for the demolition of Fairfield House to make way for a 90-foot ball field and abatement. The field, trails, and parking construction were slated for early April. A completion date for fields, trails, and parking was set for July.  The timeline is slightly off course, however.

A new timeline reveals bid packages scheduled for late February and into March, soliciting those packages in March and April, awarding the contracts in late April, field/trail construction filling the calendar from May to August with completion dates at the end of that month.

Mr Graikoski agreed that the schedule is late by about a month, but is certain that the project will move forward without delays.

“I am confident this will go smoothly,” he said in a separate interview. Field construction is different than buildings, however, and depends on weather and growing conditions.

“The key with a field is getting it seeded before October,” he said. “Seeding the end of August is too early, but in September the nights are a little cooler.”

Generally fields will require one full growing season, he said. Parks and Recreation Director Barbara Kasbarian said that opening the field in the spring of 2008 would have been ideal, but she now anticipates that players will not use the field until fall of 2008.

Mr Geckle said, “My message is, this puppy can’t slip again. I know there are extenuating circumstances, but there can’t be any more. I think you have everything you need to get this done.”

The 90-foot baseball field will sit directly in the footprint of Fairfield House, which will soon be demolished — during April/May. Trails will meander along established paths, with some additions and surface improvements.

Already, the Fairfield Hills campus plays host to a variety of recreational activities from sports leagues, baseball and soccer games, to residents out to walk their dogs, jog, and even practice their cross-country skiing. The baseball diamond now on the brink of construction is one of many that the recreation department had placed on a wish list to accommodate the town’s expanding recreation needs. In the past year Ms Kasbarian and the Parks and Recreation Commission members have made the one field a top priority.

Assistant Director of Parks Carl Samuelson said, “That one field was our highest priority.” The size of the field will meet their current largest demand, he said.