At its meeting on Wednesday, the Parks & Recreation Commission discussed the maintenance of the new Fruit Street turf field, Town Common property requests and Community Preservation Committee projects.

With the turf field construction phase now complete, the commission is turning its attention to proper maintenance. The group discussed investing in new equipment like utility vehicles to assist with towing, dumping and other activities needed to maintain the new surface. Another option discussed was hiring a company to perform maintenance tasks rather than completing the work internally.

The commission also discussed the importance of educating users of the turf on proper behavior to maintain the field’s condition. Reports of lacrosse nets being dragged across the turf — which could result in thousands of dollars in damage — and the presence of dogs, gum, beverages and other potential sources of damage were mentioned as issues that require attention.

Property requests approved

The commission approved the following Town Common property requests:

Sept. 27: Hopkinton Youth & Family Services for a suicide prevention event from 6-7 p.m., with a rain date of Sept. 28

Oct. 2: Girl Scouts for a fall singing event from 6-8 p.m.

Oct. 15: The Michael Lisnow Respite Center for its annual Michael’s Run from 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Oct. 29: Hopkinton Cultural Council for a community jack-o’-lantern event from 8 a.m.-10 p.m.

Dec. 3: Hopkinton Chamber of Commerce and the Girl Scouts for Girl Scout caroling from 3-7 p.m.

Dec. 3: Hopkinton Center for the Arts for the annual Holiday Stroll from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

CPC-funded projects discussed

The commission continued its discussion from past meetings about potential projects to propose to the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) this fall. Proposals may include a longterm plan for the Fruit Street fields property, the reconfiguration of Pyne Field to accommodate a Little League field and cricket pitch, the addition of shaded areas or a pavilion to the dog park, the installation of a gate at Sandy Beach, the construction of an EMC Park amenities building, the addition of security cameras to Parks & Rec properties and the construction of an arena.

In a future meeting, the commission will vote on which projects to carry forward to the CPC.