Soccer club again proposes turf field

Group says it’s now ready to pursue plan for high school

GLASTONBURY – One of the state’s largest soccer clubs wants future Glastonbury High School graduates to hone their athletic skills on a new artificial turf field.

The Hartwell Soccer Club has again presented a plan to install an artificial turf field on the grass of the Baldwin Field, located to the south of the school. The club presented a $1.6 million plan in 2016, but never moved forward on the plan.

Club President Greg Manzotti said the group is now ready to take on the project. The field would be used by boys and girls soccer teams, as well as the girls lacrosse team. The field would also be used by many youth teams.

“As a nonprofit organization run by volunteers, we want to be sure we are backing a project that we feel is worthy,” he said. “It’s going to be a lot of man hours and a lot of work putting together something that the town can get behind and we can help support financially as well as through usage.

“I can see where there is a bit of a road ahead,” he added, “but we feel the success of that field is a good map for why this field should be in place.”

Plans for the facility include a full-size turf field lined for girls and boys soccer and girls lacrosse. The complex would include lighting, fencing and bleachers. The field will be placed without impacting the other playing surfaces at the school. The club will need approval from the board of education to install the field.

“I am more than fine with that. If it moves forward, I am sure we will all get together,” Superintendent Alan B. Bookman said Thursday.

The club is the oldest and largest in town, and one of the biggest in New England.