A rendering from Gale Associates shows the potential layout for a redeveloped Pyne Field.

The Parks & Recreation Commission on Tuesday voted to ask for additional funds for the Pyne Field project as well as funding for two additional projects ahead of the upcoming Community Preservation application deadline of Oct. 9.

During a review of possible CPC-funded projects, Parks & Rec Director Jon Lewitus updated commission members on the status of the Pyne Field project. He noted that a 90% submission plan was submitted to his department by Gale Associates last week, and that the design firm had submitted a cost estimate as well.

“The subtotal is $1,583,000 and change, not including contingency for 20%,” said Lewitus. With the contingency, the total estimated amount for the project tops out at around $1,939,000.

“[We’re] essentially looking to double the cost of this project,” he added.

“The cost of the project has doubled what was initially proposed,” vice chair Kyle Smith clarified.

The Community Preservation Committee in 2022 approved $1 million in funding to redesign Pyne Field for use as both baseball and cricket fields. According to both Lewitus and Parks & Rec Commission chair Dan Terry, some of that money already has been spent. 

Given a near doubling in price of the Pyne Field project, Terry expressed concern over getting groups to pay the necessary fees to use the fields in order to pay for maintenance. 

“I think we need to have hard discussions with the two tenants we expect to use this and make sure they’re aware that they’re going to be charged for the fields,” Terry said. He noted the fees charged to them would cover the cost of maintenance, infrastructure and upkeep, and that those fees might dissuade them from using the fields in the first place.

“If they’re going to vote with their feet at that point, I don’t want to make that investment,” he explained. “We need to make sure this is going to make economic sense to the town.”

“To be honest, we can’t build this field if we can’t maintain it,” Lewitus said, echoing Terry’s sentiments.

Commission members discussed the possibility of dropping the project given the price tag and uncertainty regarding user groups. Member Ravi Dasari expressed confidence that local cricket organizations would generate demand for the cricket pitch at Pyne Field if the project continued.

Following further discussion, members agreed to authorize Lewitus to submit a CPC funds request of up to $1.1 million, pending calculations around what already has been spent from allocated funds.

As part of the funding discussions for Pyne Field, the commission also voted to return $25,000 to the CPC that was allocated for irrigation. The new application will include $100,000 for irrigation at Pyne Field, based on updated estimates from Gale Associates.

Lighting, benches other funding priorities

The Parks & Rec Commission also voted to add the first phase of a lighting plan for the Fruit Street athletic complex and funding for benches at various Parks & Rec properties to its CPC funding requests for fiscal year 2027.

Lewitus shared with the commission that there were two potential projects for lighting at the Fruit Street complex — one for just the pickleball and tennis courts, and the other for lighting all the fields. He stated that the lights for the courts could lead to a good source of income for his department.

“It’s a big opportunity for Parks & Rec to generate revenue if we want to,” he said. “I think it really serves that community for sure.”

According to a quote solicited by Lewitus, light installation at the Fruit Street courts could cost around $200,000. Terry estimated the cost to light the fields would be significantly more expensive, given the potential need to build additional infrastructure.

Member Amy O’Donnell was skeptical of funding the courts over the fields. “I think it will be received poorly,” she said, claiming that residents have been asking for the Fruit Street fields to be lit for some time. 

Dasari noted that cricket teams who use the fields have been asking for lights as well.

“We would make much more revenue to have lights at the Fruit Street fields,” O’Donnell added. Smith contributed by saying he was interested in a solution that does not duplicate investment.

After hearing a rough estimate of $750,000 for lighting the Fruit Street fields from Lewitus, the commission agreed that it did not want to handle lighting the courts and the fields as two separate projects. Instead, it would start with requesting funds for the courts first and consider that as Phase 1 of a larger Fruit Street project.

The other proposal the commission approved for funding is the placement of picnic benches at different Parks & Rec facilities. The project was conceptualized after the Hopkinton Garden Club requested to install a bench on Town Common. Areas where the benches could be installed include EMC Park, Sandy Beach and town playgrounds.