To the editor:

Councilor Robert Humm is zeroing in on lower Chianese field, a capped landfill, with a proposal at the Town Council meeting on Feb. 5 for a synthetic turf field with lights to address the town field issues. And it has a lot of zeros with an estimated cost of just under $5 million.

The Athletic Fields Condition and Needs Analysis report paid for by the town and done by Traverse Landscape Architects did not recommend this location due to costs and contingencies with being a capped landfill. The Parks and Recreation Commission on their review of the fields report for the Town Council at their Jan. 25 meeting did not select lower Chianese field as one of their three field recommendations for a synthetic turf field. The Resilience and Energy Committee in a letter to the editor (Urging Council to consider sustainable alternatives — Barrington Times, Feb. 7, 2024) referencing their meeting on Jan. 24 and at the request of the Town Council to discuss the growing need for athletic facilities and while not speaking to the Chianese Park location directly stated in their letter that “our committee has reservations about the installation of a synthetic turf field. Our primary concern stems from the potential public health risks associated with synthetic turf… Moreover, a synthetic turf field does not align with the Town’s 2021 Barrington Resilient Future Resolution.”

At the Town Council meeting on Feb. 5 many people spoke in opposition to Council Humm’s proposal. There were few people who spoke in favor, and I heard comments like not in my backyard and that Chianese Park is a community park and not just for our neighborhood. But our backyard is full. Full of traffic and parking issues at the current level of activity. And yes, it is a community park. There are no signs saying only neighborhood members are allowed. But it is a neighborhood — a neighborhood growing weary of the parking and traffic issues as well as trash and noise. A neighborhood that sees this proposal as adding a lot more of the same. 

Bob Read

Barrington