RSS Feed
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Turf Field Committee dontates lighting for Babylon High School athletic field The proposed donation of lights for the Babylon High School Athletic Field was the topic of a special community meeting held Monday, July 16, 2007 in Babylon High School's Rowe Hall. At a previous board meeting, the Babylon Turf Field Fund Committee, an independent not-for-profit group, had approached school district administrators and members of the board of education with an offer to install and light the high school athletic field. The Turf Committee estimates the cost of the project at $90,000. School board president Darrell Conway said the board wanted to hold an informational meeting about the gift, so the community had a chance to learn about the project. Although the board is in support of the gift, there has been no resolution accepting it at this point, added Conway, in a subsequent phone call. Techline Sports Lighting, based in Austin, Texas, is the bidding firm. Its representative, Mark Reynolds, presented details of the project and answered questions, at the meeting. Reynolds explained that the project calls for four stanchions, with poles 70 feet high and an additional 17 feet buried in the ground. Techline recommends 50 foot candle light, which is consistent with light level standards set forth by the Illumination Engineering Society of North America for this type of project. Light fixtures will include a visor to control light pollution into the sky, while enhancing downward light onto the field. "The project is designed so there is less intrusion of light onto property lines of houses on North Carll Avenue," said Reynolds. In comparison, lights at the nearby Babylon Little League Field are 45 feet high, according to Conway. The Long Island Power Authority approximates the cost per hour to run all the lights would be $13.07, reported Doug Sutherland, a member of the Turf Field Fund Committee. Turf Committee members and some Babylon School athletic coaches estimate that seven events a year would be played on the field under the lights. These include three football games and two games each for boys and girls lacrosse. "We would need a definitive answer from the state education department, before we would even break ground," said Peter Daly, assistant superintendent for business. Conway explained in a follow up phone call that the board has not yet seen the written plans and they are awaiting further documentation from the Turf Field Fund Committee, including a copy of the Techline contract and other documentation indicating what services the Turf Fund will pay for. One includes an environmental impact study. As with any school construction project, this light project needs clearance from the state department of environmental conservation. The Turf Field Fund Committee has committed to covering the cost for this study. Additionally, plans need to be reviewed by the state education department's facilities planning department. This could take several weeks or more, according to superintendent Ellen Best-Laimit PhD. "Several steps have to happen before we can accept this donation," said Best-Laimit. In other School Board news: •At the July 2, 2007 re-organization meeting of the school board, Darrel Conway and Judy Anderson were unanimously elected president and vice president, respectively.
The board next meets on Monday, August 13, 2007 at 8:15 PM in the High School Library.
|
for larger version       |
||||||||||||||||||
