The town manager wants residents to know that the renovation of athletic fields at Haines Park is just one piece of the work that officials would like to see completed there. 

Phil Hervey said the improvements at Haines Park could also include a better network of walking trails.

“It shouldn’t just end with a field and some parking. I was mentioning that in the meeting, that the trails need work. And they do need work,” Hervey said during an interview last week. 

“If you have concerns about the environment, you should have concerns about the haphazard network of meandering trails that are everywhere. I’ve been in there. I’ve documented it. They’re all over the place. And they need a clear trail plan put in place and enacted, so that you close off trails that are unnecessary. It’s confusing for a user. I mean it’s not that big a place, between the parking area and the bike path, but it’s all over the place, unnecessarily.”

Barrington officials held a special workshop late last month to discuss the proposed renovation of athletic fields at Haines Park. More than a dozen residents, many of whom live near the park, attended the meeting and shared their concerns about the work — many of them spoke passionately about the potential loss of forested land in town and the impact on wildlife in the area.

“It’s good to hear from the public about their concerns, which you always want to consider when you move forward with the design,” Hervey said. “Really, it is a minimal impact design. Phase I, and even Phase II. We’re not going into the woods, really.”

Phase I calls for the reconfiguration of field space at the western end of the park — building a new Harrington baseball field closer to the softball field and dog park, and then constructing a large multi-use athletic field closer to the park road. 

Town officials and the hired consultant told residents that Phase I would only require the removal of a few trees, and that the town would plant new trees to compensate. 

“Phase I, you’re gaining a new baseball field. You can’t forget about that. You’ve been holding off on upgrading that field in anticipation of this project. And it is a tired field. Harrington will be a brand new field,” Hervey said. 

Hervey wants to remind residents that recent work by an ad hoc committee revealed the need for two new multi-use athletic fields, which could be used by lacrosse and soccer leagues. He said Phase I would bring one new field online. 

“We have to provide this field. It’s a priority. It’s clear,” Hervey said. “It’s based on the fact that you have increased usage, as public works talks about all the time. This field is the minimal we need. It’s going to be well-designed, drain well, irrigated, (have) adequate parking that’s convenient so you’re not parking along the road.”

Hervey said the trail improvements are also needed, although he was not entirely sure whether it would be included with the Phase I work. Hervey also spoke about other possible upgrades at Haines Park, which is owned by the state but managed by the town. Barrington officials signed a 30-year lease agreement with the state last year. 

“I would love to find a way to connect the east side (of the park) with the west side, across the creek,” Hervey said, adding that the work could include a large raised boardwalk. “…but that’s expensive. That could be a future grant.”

Phase II of the Haines Park plan calls for creation of a large multi-use athletic field near the intersection of Washington Road and Haines Park Road. The field would overlap the outfield portion of the large baseball diamond. Phase II also calls for the slight expansion of the parking lot near the large baseball diamond. Hervey said Phase II needs more work before officials move forward on it. He said the engineering and design work for Phase I is expected to begin this fall; the town will likely use American Rescue Plan Act funding for the Haines Park work.

“Hopefully the facility is a really top-notch facility that benefits all users across the town,” Hervey said. “But also do things that are nice features, that are beneficial to making a nicer park.”