05/07/2019
Boys Lax supports this project and sent this e-mail out to its mailing list:
Boys Youth Lacrosse Parents,
At the upcoming Town Meeting on Tuesday, May 14th, we have an opportunity to advance a proposed project to drastically and quickly improve the deteriorated and unsafe conditions at Wolf Swamp fields -- our main youth sports venue. As a lacrosse parent, you are undoubtedly aware of the dangerous fields conditions (bumps, holes, uneven surfaces, hard dirt areas) that our youth players currently face at Wolf Swamp fields, subjecting them daily to increased chances of injury. The parking lot situation has also been described as dangerous and chaotic, and introduces additional risk and danger for our young athletes, families, and visiting teams and spectators.
Recently, led by our Town Manager, the Parks and Recreation Department, the Department of Public Works, the Community Preservation Committee, and a majority of the Select Board, a fast-track, smart, and well-coordinated plan has been developed to rehabilitate Wolf Swamp fields, install irrigation systems, and redesign and make the parking situation more friendly and safe. Warrant Article 16 is this proposed plan, and we need your help in achieving a two-thirds vote on Article 16 at the upcoming Town Meeting in order to send the proposal to the election day ballot on June 11th.
To fund this project, Article 16 will authorize the Town to borrow up to $1,541,000 to complete the full work. However, with the Community Preservation Committee's financial support of $430,000, the Town will only need to borrow approximately $1,111,000. According to our Town Finance Director, this will equate to an approximate $21 annual increase in taxes on the average Longmeadow household for a period of 10 years -- so $210 total over the 10 year period.
In my view, the Wolf Swamp fields are no different than a deteriorating town road or town facility. They need be addressed and fixed. Wolf Swamp fields have been neglected for way to long, and we now have an opportunity to create a fantastic and safe fields venue for our youth players and families. Please attend Town Meeting on May 14th, and consider voting YES for our fields and for our kids. Please also bring resident family members and friends who share our vision and commitment to safe and vibrant playing fields. We need your votes and their votes to get to the required two-thirds majority.
Thank you for reading this message, and I hope to see you all on Tuesday, May 14th at 7:00 pm at Longmeadow High School.
Matt Landon
President - Longmeadow Boys Youth Lacrosse
