Physical and organizational aspects of the proposed new athletic turf field to be located at “the pit” behind the LHS football field and near Littel People’s Park were discussed Tuesday evening, November 9, at the Livingston Board of Education meeting.Business administrator Steven Robinson responded to questions that the Board had posed at the October 19 meeting.While the Board has not yet committed to the project, Robinson said, “The game plan would be to go out to bid in December or January.”If the process is successful, the bid could be awarded in February, and construction could take place between May and November.He also said that the impact of lighting on the immediate neighbors would be minimal.Robinson’s cost estimate, including lights, drainage, and the turf itself, would be less than $3 million, and would come from the district’s capital reserve fund. Taxpayers would not pay additional money for the field. The fund would be left with approximately $3.4 million.Anthony Gianforcaro, designer of the project, reviewed the uses of the proposed field for soccer, boys’ lacrosse, girls’ lacrosse, field hockey, baseball, and softball. Per suggestions from coaches, temporary lines could be made for practice football and marching band rehearsals. The lines would be temporary so as not to distract players of other sports.He suggested spaces for shot put, javelin and discus, and said that dugouts and bullpens for softball could be built near the community pool, with a protective wall and nets.Looking at the aerial rendering, Robinson said, “You can see that there are houses, but there is a pretty good barrier.”Gianforcaro also highlighted the distances to the homes, and that they are buffered by tennis courts and woods. And, he said, there is much less spillage of light with contemporary LED technology.“But we have to go beyond schematics, and start the actual construction documents,” he said.All members of the Board approved going ahead with the process, and asked about conversations with the town and committees, including the Planning Board.“You are not committed to this project until you award the bids,” Robinson assured the Board.LHS Student Speaks OutSofia Calderón, a freshman at Livingston High School, cautioned the Board against building a turf field.“I’ve done soccer, lacrosse and field hockey, and even I can’t get behind the proposal,” she said.She said that residents of nearby towns such as Westfield, East Orange and Maplewood are opposing proposed installations of new turf fields, “and for good ...
