District Officials Bat Around Ideas for Upgrading Athletic Fields

Bensalem school officials began public talks Tuesday with a consultant hired to address the need for major improvements to the many athletic fields at the high school.

Chris Green of Gilmour & Associates presented several very different options for reconfiguring and developing fields and said there are no financial estimates at this point because topography studies need to be done first.

But Superintendent Bill Gretzula said Wednesday that he could envision a plan under which the district sets aside about $300,000 over a three-year period. Money has already been earmarked for improvements to the varsity boys baseball field and the girls varsity softball field, he said.

The money for all the work will come from the district's capital reserve fund.

At Tuesday's committee meeting, there was a consensus to try to keep as many fields as possible in their current location, to save money, while also trying to group fields for certain sports in close proximity to each other.

Those attending the meeting also said the district needs to address stormwater management and parking problems.

Athletic director Valerie Ridge said many of the fields are in bad shape and there is a need to rest some for a year at a time.

“They're not tired; they're exhausted,” she said.

District facilities manager Bob Moseley said the district has been trying to do its best with only $6,000 a year for maintenance of all the fields. He added that the district might want to consider seeking some financial contributions from community groups that use the fields.

School board member Yagnesh Choksi continued to push his idea for a cricket field, saying he has a friend who would contribute $5,000 if such a field were part of the district's plan. And he said he thinks there are other community members who would help financially with such a field.

But fellow board member Kim Rivera wasn't convinced that was a good idea.

“Why can't the township do it?” she asked. “I don't think it's fair for the district to foot this bill.”

Choksi replied that it's “high time” for a field for a sport “being played all around the world.”

Gretzula said such a field is best suited for middle school property and he does see the interest.

“In the absence of a field, we have kids playing in our parking lot,” he said.

But the superintendent added he is concerned with long-term community support.

Toward the end of the long overall discussion, Ridge said she would be remiss as athletic director not to ask about the possibility of an all-purpose artificial turf field.

“I'm only throwing it out there,” she said. “I know it's whole other discussion.”

Gretzula said that discussion should wait a while but he's intrigued with the prospect of the district being able to rent such a facility.

“I like it from a revenue-generating perspective,” he said.

Gretzula previously said the district may also be talking about accepting sponsors for athletic facilities as a means to generate money.