Winter in Mill Woods Park
Thank You Wethersfield!
We are overwhelmed by the support Wethersfield has shown for Mill Woods Park, both in the past few months and by voting no on December 10th.
Thanks to you, we won the referendum 2,566 to 461!
Stay tuned for future updates on this issue, and others pertaining to the preservation of our beautiful park.
Have a great holiday season!
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Wethersfield needs to talk about turf.
The Town Council has a plan to radically transform Mill Woods Park.
They want to turn multiple grass fields into one artificial turf field, and put a road directly through the park, next to where kids are playing.
This will be a major construction project, where the artificial turf is the first step in their Master Plan.
The Town Council wants to use our COVID relief funding, but it’s not enough to cover even the initial costs.
Millions more dollars will be needed to complete and maintain this field, and Wethersfield taxpayers will have to foot the bill.
And yet, fewer taxpayers will be able to use this field, which will be fenced in and locked up, likely with fees, reservations, and liability insurance required to use it - eliminating passive use.
Many Wethersfield sports leagues will suffer in the face of these changes.
Baseball, softball, and soccer teams will lose playing fields, and the town council has no concrete plans or funding to replace them.
Furthermore, there are serious concerns for the safety of the athletes who would play on this artificial turf field.
Overwhelming evidence has shown that athletes get injured more frequently and more seriously playing on artificial turf.
There are also alarming links between artificial turf and serious long-term health consequences.
Researchers around the world are raising the alarm, and doctors are now warning parents not to let their children play on artificial turf.
Scientists are also seriously concerned about the damage artificial turf can do to the environment.
Waterways near artificial turf fields have been polluted with harmful forever chemicals and microplastics, and this raises serious concerns for Wethersfield residents about Mill Woods Pond.
In other towns, these safety issues have led to lawsuits, and lawmakers around the country have already imposed bans on artificial turf - and we have lawmakers in Connecticut trying to do the same.
With all this in mind, Wethersfield needs to do the smart thing, which is to improve and maintain our existing grass fields, and keep any additional fields natural grass.
Our town has a lot of big, important expenses coming up, upgrading our schools and the Pitkin Community Center, and we don’t need to take on this additional tax burden.
Thankfully, the citizens of Wethersfield have the opportunity to have a say on whether or not we want artificial turf.
On Tuesday, December 10th at the Pitkin Community Center, Wethersfield residents can vote in a referendum on this issue.
VOTE NO to this shortsighted proposal. Together, we can create a better game plan that ensures that these fields in our public park remain safe and accessible for all athletes and town residents.
Again, voting will be held at Pitkin Community Center on December 10th, between the hours of 6:00 AM and 8:00 PM.
If you cannot make it on that day, you can go to the Town Clerk’s Office at Town Hall to fill out an absentee ballot, Monday through Friday between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM.
Please, come out and vote.
Together, we can make a difference!!
“If you support student-athletes, the environment, and the responsible use of taxpayer money, then VOTE NO to artificial turf.”
Wethersfield Mill Woods Park Referendum Facts
Here are the issues with putting a new artificial turf facility into Mill Woods Park.
Athlete Safety and Health Concerns
More injuries and more serious injuries
Danger of severe long term health consequences from forever chemicals and microplastics
ARPA Funding Not Enough
Funding won’t cover the total cost of the project
The $1.57 million in COVID relief money will not be lost - funding can be used for other projects before deadline
Loss of Baseball/Softball/Soccer fields
Will lose 3 baseball/softball and soccer fields
No concrete plans or money to replace them
Taxes Needed For Other Priorities
Recent reevaluation likely to drive up taxes
This increases the maintenance burden on taxpayers
Expensive projects coming up - schools, community center
Environment Hazards
Runoff from field will contain harmful PFAS and microplastics, will go right into Mill Woods Pond
Loss of green space for wildlife, climate resilience
Future Radical Transformation of Park
Fields turned into a facility with lights, bleachers, press box, security cameras, fences
Path from Griswold Road turned into two lane road
117 space parking lot where open field is now
New road cutting through playing area of park
Diminished Park Enjoyment
No access - new facility will be fenced in and locked up, will likely need fees, reservations, and liability insurance
Loss of natural beauty and passive enjoyment of fields
What We should do Instead
Use ARPA money on other projects (repairing roofs, fixing roads, etc…)
Revise the Mill Woods Master Plan to include balanced use of the park:
Maintain the park's natural beauty and open spaces
Ensure safe and maintained sports fields and playing areas for all
Enhance the park’s aesthetics and recreational facilities in a sustainable, fiscally responsible way
Fix our fields - upgrade and maintain all our fields across town for to maximize the benefits for all youth and sports
Keep Wethersfield Green
Vote No to come up with a better game plan
There’s a lot of misinformation out there. some facts:
This would be a “multipurpose turf field”
This sounds great but the reality is this would be a multi-sport artificial turf facility designed for a few specific sports. A natural grass field is truly multipurpose.
This is “for our community at Mill Woods Park”
This plan literally takes away fields from the community - removing 2 or 3 baseball fields and soccer fields. The single artificial field that would replace these fields will be fenced in and locked up. It will only available to use if you get a permit, have liability insurance, and pay a fee. No casual or passive use - you won’t be able to even walk across the field!
It’s “an already existing park”
Exactly, it’s a treasured park that we should keep as a park, not turn into an elite sports facility. A natural grass field will allow this to be used by athletes who need it, while maintaining its status as a beloved community park.
It will provide “improved physical health”
This is a common misperception. The sports community is slowly waking up to the facts. Athletes playing on artificial turf receive more frequent and more serious injuries as well as risk serious long term health consequences. See our artificial turf page for more details and the sources of information.
It will “long-term reduce maintenance costs associated with natural grass fields”
While you don’t have to mow the grass, you do have to wash the surface just as frequently as you mow, add “infill”constantly, and replace the field surface every 8 - 10 years (this cost $1.1 million 5 years ago at the high school). When you consider these costs and the initial costs to build it, the total cost of ownership (TCO) is much, much higher with an artificial field. The initial cost of building the artificial turf field alone would cover more than 10 years of maintenance of a natural grass field!
“It will accommodate a variety of sports and activities”
It will be designed exclusively for field hockey, lacrosse, football and soccer, with permanent lines for each sport. No baseball, no softball, no cricket, no frisbee, no kite flying, no kids playing after school, etc…Again, it will be fenced in and locked up, preventing informal/passive use.
It would “support the development of athletes at all levels”
Are the mini kickers going to play on a hard, full sized soccer pitch with confusing lines? Will their parents want them to, as smaller kids face even greater health risks when playing on artificial turf? A natural grass field won’t have painful “artificial turf burn”, be far safer for athletes of all ages, and allows more flexibility in how it is configured for all age groups.
A Referendum On Dec 10th will decide the future of the park
Help Us Get the Facts Out - your support is crucial
