What was once a working farm at 15 Blanchard St. will soon be three baseball diamonds and one soccer field.
Designs are nearly finalized to divide the 13 acres into sports fields and parking areas, with construction slated to start in late spring or early summer.
The project, to be built on the site of a former farm the town purchased in 2007, will be a public/private partnership. The Andover Little League and Andover Soccer Association have pledged to pay for more than half of the estimated $1.9 million complex. The town's portion will be $425,000.
Carl Grygiel, president of the Andover Soccer Association, said his organization has money saved and is ready to write a check for $100,000, their portion of the project — $50,000 up front and $10,000 per year for the next five years.
Len Farris, Andover Little League president, said his organization is 55 or 60 percent of the way with their fundraising, with a silent auction and donor programs planned for the spring.
"There is really a good public/private partnership between organizations in town, and things are coming together. I feel like we're on a good pace and progress is being made," said Farris.
The sports complex design will be finalized over the next few months, said Joe Piantedosi, director of the plant and facilities department, and will have to be approved by the Conservation Commission.
The town could take bids from contractors in late spring 2010, he said.
The site's grass will take a year to mature, and the playing fields could be ready by summer or fall 2011. Hopefully, the fields will be ready before the town closes the Deyermond Field complex, where many baseball games are now played, he said.
State mandates and environmental concerns will force the closure of the Deyermond Field complex, built on top of the Ledge Road landfill. The site, an open-pit trash burning landfill from the 1920s to 1950s, must be recapped.
"It's a fair design, based upon what the Little League's needs are, and what the Little League is willing to spend. We have the ability to use other spaces in town," said Grygiel of the three to one field ratio. "I give the town credit. They've been very proactive about telling us what's going on at the Deyermond complex ... The town's been a great partner, helpful in trying to find additional playing spaces."
A public meeting was held Dec. 15 at Temple Emanuel, during which Piantedosi and landscape architect Chris Huntress unveiled the design and answered questions from residents.
Harold Pierce, of 10 Blanchard St. and Robert Wegner, 2 Blanchard St., expressed concern for increased traffic in the area, especially at the property's northernmost exit, which they said has limited visibility.
Huntress said they will take a second look at the North entrance and get the opinion of the police department's traffic safety officer. The parking lot design has two entrances onto Blanchard Street; the North entrance will be enter only, because of traffic concerns.
Construction will not raise the property's elevation, said Huntress, and drains will be put under the four fields, sending runoff through leeching basins.
"We're going to be very fussy who we let use this. It will be the best fields in town," said Piantedosi.
Piantedosi said he hopes to hold another public forum and bring the finalized design before selectmen before it goes out to bid.
Grygiel and Farris agreed the design's 160 parking spaces should be sufficient. Teams average 15 or 16 cars for a practice or game, said Grygiel.
Sports field complex
Three little league baseball diamonds
One soccer field
160 parking spaces; no parking allowed along Blanchard Street
Majority of the site's use will be for Andover Little League, Andover Soccer Association and town-sponsored camp and recreation programs
No lighting or site use will be allowed after 10 p.m.
No permanent restrooms; port-a-potties will be at property
No adult sports leagues, football or lacrosse teams will be allowed to use the complex
Town will be responsible for upkeep costs, including mowing
¬ocked gate will close the property during the winter
