Sports Complex

A Step Closer To FFH

By Kendra Bobowick

A new sports complex could be reshaping the landscape at Fairfield Hills as soon as the end of this year, which would please resident Peter D’Amico.

As he comes closer to achieving his long-held desire to create recreation space for the town’s youth, he said, “Maybe we can move forward and enjoy it.”

In fact, his complex came a step closer to reality through a good faith agreement he made with the town and Fairfield Hills Authority during the last week of May. The town will make land available at Fairfield Hills while he personally finances the sports complex, which will involve the demolition of Bridgewater House, which is among the properties slated to be razed.

This week he said he is now financially “in a position to make this happen.” And, he wants the complex to happen quickly. Choosing a specific date to keep plans on track, Mr D’Amico explained, “Without a target, things get delayed and delayed…so December 31.”

A contract is currently being developed with a construction start date of 2007, according to a recent release. On a fast track to becoming a reality are a new 40-foot by 60-foot turf field, basketball and volleyball courts, and accommodations for lacrosse, football, soccer, and other sports in an approximately 65,000-square-foot-building. Already with an architect’s renderings in hand, Mr D’Amico wants to begin building the complex. Contributing $1 million of his own funds to the Newtown Youth Academy, an agency which he established to sponsor the sports complex, he anticipates borrowing the roughly $4 million balance for construction.

First Selectman Herb Rosenthal said, “I think it’s wonderful he wants to do this, he has been doing things for youth sports for years and I know he has always wanted to do this. It’s nice to have citizens like that.”

In past years Mr D’Amico had become determined to build a facility for sports, and in the last year has put that plan into action. “This is a wonderful opportunity for us to fill a need in our community,” he said. Overall, he wants the youth to have a place to enjoy their favorite sport. The private benefactor spoke with Newtown’s sports representatives in recent weeks, “just to make sure our proposal meets their needs and requirements.”

Meeting The Town’s Needs

His timing is perfect. In the release Mr D’Amico stated, “In the future, the building may house Parks & Recreation offices, a teen center, a senior center, and any other appropriate town organizations.”

A glance at the town’s capital improvement funding requests from the last year reveals that the senior citizens are hoping to finance a new senior center to accommodate their programming, and the Parks & Recreation Department seeks capital funds to build a recreation/community center in phases. The center that Director Barbara Kasbarian and others envision would house programming and activity space and eventually a pool. Trying to reduce expenses. Mr Rosenthal had suggested that several groups consider occupying a shared space if capital money became available.

Recent Parks & Recreation meetings have made clear the growing programming demands, crunch for field and court space, and the frustrated struggle to meet these needs. Seniors have also stressed that their space limits activities and does not accommodate the number of seniors eligible to use the center.

After conversations with town officials Mr D’Amico had adjusted his plans to incorporate town needs. In recent meetings with town officials and Park & Rec. members, Mr D’Amico said he wanted to be sure his building design leaves room where a senior center and recreation space can be attached. “When the time comes there will be a footprint for them,” he said.

Mr Rosenthal said, “Clearly, we’re working with him. The first phase is what he wants to do, but he also indicated he is building [the sports complex] in a way that we can add on town facilities, a pool, Parks & Rec, community center.” The town’s portion of the building are still a preliminary phase two of the complex, but the first selectman is hopeful.

“All the things we want to do can be accomplished,” Mr Rosenthal said.

Architect Phil Clark, who is also president of the Bridgeport-based Claris Construction Company, has completed rough sketches of phases one and two. Phase one involves two adjacent rectangular buildings joined at a 90-degree angle where a triangular entrance connects them. The right-hand section tentatively includes a running track encircling courts for basketball and volleyball. The left wing is a large soccer and lacrosse field. Phase two shows a large addition facing the entrance.

The town and Parks & Rec will be able to use the facility on a lease arrangement, and the sports complex will be open “for Newtown’s kids,” Mr D’Amico said.

 

Overcoming The Budget

Unlike public officials, Mr D’Amico does not have to operate through budget funds.

Speaking candidly, he said, “I see the budget problems, and I see that nothing is going to happen soon, so I decided to do this on a private basis.” Mr D’Amico created the Newtown Youth Academy through which the project will be financed so that no public funds would be needed.

“I don’t foresee the town coming up with millions,” he said. Mr Rosenthal stressed that a combined building offers more for the money.

Mr D’Amico’s ideas for the complex began years ago, when he was involved with youth sports. “When I coached my sons…we would want to practice but there was no room available,” he said. “I said, ‘This has got to change.’”

Mr D’Amico’s sports complex will be the first to occupy the politically charged Fairfield Hills campus, which is now undergoing plans for redevelopment.

He also wants to “see something happen” at Fairfield Hills. Noting that he is “sad when he drives by” the vacant former state hospital buildings and grounds he said, “Maybe this will spark something.”

The project will continue pending approvals from the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Residents can make tax-deductible donations to the Newtown Youth Academy.

Both Mr D’Amico and Mr Rosenthal hope that others will make contributions to the academy and support the project. “We hope that other people in town with financial means will see that it’s worthwhile,” Mr D’Amico said.

Contact Mr D’Amico at pdamico@nwetownyouthacademy.org for more information about the academy. Mr D’Amico is a Newtown resident, former sports coach, Bulk Materials International businessman and owner of SCB offices at 153 South Main Street. He is most recently behind the not-for-profit, Newtown Youth Academy, which is sponsoring the complex.