The Need For Soccer Fields

To the Editor,

I am writing as the president of the Newtown Soccer Club. The Soccer Club has been in existence since 1972. We currently have in excess of 1,100 players ages 5to 14 with an additional 40 to 100 in the spring season. We represent approximately 800 families in town. As you are well aware, we are severely lacking fields for these children to play on. Fields are utilized seven days a week for the months of April through November. We currently have up to four teams training on a field at any one time. Our needs are fairly straight forward.

Total fields needed: 7; 2 @ 45x65; 2 @  50x80; 3 @ 70x110.

These fields would be game only fields – no practices!

They need to be irrigated, properly constructed with proper drainage, and lighted. The lighting is a major factor. This gives us more field usage during the week and therefore the need for fewer fields.

The development of Amaral property is exclusive of these requirements.

Football and lacrosse fields need to be separated from soccer due to the destructive nature of these sports to fields.

Since Fairfield Hills is an area where land space is available and has access to water, it would make a perfect location for a multi-use sports facility housing soccer, baseball, football and lacrosse. Whether the land is purchased by Newtown or in conjunction with a developer such as Becker and Becker, it appears to be the last good available area where Newtown could address this pressing need which has been ignored for far too long.

Very truly,

Alan Helfer, President

Timber Mill Road, Newtown                              October 20, 1999