photo courtesy of the Village of Ridgewood
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, on Wednesday evening, the Village Council took a major step to improve the safety and quality of Hawes Field at Pleasant Park by awarding a $97,645 contract for its resodding. The project aims to eliminate unevenness and make the field safer for the many local students and athletes who use it regularly.
The resodding project will be entirely funded through the Village’s registration and permit fee trust fund, ensuring that no municipal budget or capital funding will be impacted.
Hawes Field is a central hub for the community, used extensively by the Board of Education and local sports organizations. During school hours, Hawes Elementary students use the field for recess and physical education, while after-school hours see practices and games hosted by the Ridgewood Baseball & Softball Association (RBSA), Ridgewood Soccer Association (RSA), and Maroon Soccer Club (MSC). Years of continuous use, combined with harsh weather conditions, have left the field in poor condition, raising concerns about player safety.
Councilmember Siobhan Winograd, representing the Fields Committee, emphasized the importance of the upgrades, noting that the field has been the subject of numerous complaints due to its safety risks. “The renovations are crucial to ensuring that the field is safe for all of our students and athletes,” Winograd said.
In addition to the improvements on the soccer field, the RBSA made a generous $12,500 donation earlier this year to enhance the baseball diamond at Hawes Field. According to Village Manager Keith Kazmark, the baseball renovations are slated to begin in spring 2025, while the work on the soccer field is expected to be completed this fall.
These upgrades represent a significant investment in the community’s sports facilities, ensuring a safer and more enjoyable experience for all who use Hawes Field.
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How much did the Maroons contribute?
this is the correct question. MSC is sitting on >300k in cash – not bad for a non-profit. why not invest it in fields????
There’s nothing wrong with Lower Hawes….soccer bunnies want turf.
incorrect. that field has a ton or roots and divots – perfect for rolling ankles. now the MSC should definitely contribute
Agree — lower Hawes field has been a disaster for 10+ years
97k for grass seeds?
Who got the contract?
What a waste of money
Pet project for the soccer council family
97k for grass that won’t last. It is ridiculous that so many people think turf fields cost more when in reality they are less in the long run and better quality to play on.
then why are you not advocating for turf here publicly?
Because turf is toxic?
Are we the only community who can’t manage a town with so many fields so much so that turf is the only answer? That is just plain sad with all of the accolades that Nancy Bigos and Matt get for our Parks and this is the best we can do. Grass fields are being maintained all over the US. How come Ridgewood can’t do it?
grass is not being maintained all over the US. The reality is that turf is cheaper to maintain a higher quality field. That is why towns are doing it all over the US. Like Waldwick, which now is using it’s new field all the time (not in a flood plain)
Turf has a short lifespan and then it’s just old plastic. Annual cost of owning turf is always more than $100k/year. Grass, treated right, is infinitely renewable. $97k is too much for sod. Why resod the whole field? Also, why not just renovate (core aeration, compost top dress, overseeding)? You could repeat that four times over the curse of a year for less than $50k.
Trip on dirt and eat shit for all I care. $97K!!!!???
Always a lot of sand bees on the lower field…and dragon flies.