DEERFIELD — Town officials’ and residents’ vision for the proposed park on North Main Street is beginning to take shape, following a recent informational session.
“The main thing I want to see is a place to come together as a community,” said Selectboard member Trevor McDaniel. “This world has been fractured immensely from the pandemic to politics, and every other thing.”
The parcel of land, located just north of Frontier Regional School on North Main Street, was purchased by the town after voters approved a $1.2 million appropriation at Annual Town Meeting in June for the construction of recreational fields, foot and bicycle paths, and parking. In October, Special Town Meeting voters approved an additional $1 million in Community Preservation Act funds toward the project.
In November, the Selectboard opened up the floor for a public discussion on what the possible opportunities were for the land. In general, the town is looking at two multi-purpose athletic fields with a walking trail wrapping around it.
At a second meeting earlier this month, Recreation Department staff member Sue Antonellis emphasized the significant need for soccer fields, in particular.
“We do have land up at Old Deerfield, which we put our pre-K program on — our softball team, and our pre-K soccer and pre-baseball — but that field is not big enough for a soccer field at all,” she said, adding that Deerfield Academy has allowed the use of South Meadows for soccer.
She also said the field hockey program is “very robust” and could make use of the fields, as well as flag football and ultimate Frisbee programs run through the Recreation Department.
“We could really use some more playing fields in this area,” Antonellis said.
The installation of a bandshell and pavilion have also been considered, as has a playground.
According to Police Chief John Paciorek, who has led the effort on the project, Eaglebrook School has committed to providing a pavilion, and Deerfield Academy has committed to building a storage facility, concession stand and restrooms into a singular building on site.
Acknowledging previously expressed concerns for the size and location of the proposed parking lot, McDaniel reviewed the different concept plans, including one where the parking lot is placed in between the two fields.
“One concern I have with this is we’ve got kids crossing from one field to the other,” he said. “It really does limit the size of your space.”
In other concepts, the parking lot is long and narrow, placed perpendicular to North Main Street to allow more distance from the abutters.
One neighbor to the project asked who would be responsible if her home were to sustain flood damage due to the removal of any vegetation or brush for the project.
“Stormwater management would be a huge part of how we address the property, to make sure that water didn’t enter the property,” McDaniel said.
Others at the remote meeting suggested rain gardens for absorbing stormwater and using permeable surfaces for the parking lots.
Echoing other residents’ requests for the park to be as environmentally friendly as possible, Kate Lawless suggested bicycle racks, water bottle filling stations and composting toilets.
There was some confusion — both from a resident at the January meeting and an attorney representing Judith Rathbone, who owns property south of the proposed park — over the practice of brainstorming ideas for the land before receiving assurance that it’s buildable.
“We’re here to listen to what the residents want and don’t want,” McDaniel responded. “That will determine what we end up building. When legal review is complete on the property, we’ll know what we can and can’t do. This is really a listening session.”
Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne