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Burlington is one step closer to having a new pair of turf fields at Marshall Simonds Middle School, following an 18-month design and planning process that culminated in Conservation Commission approval this month.

This project was approved at Burlington's May 2024 Town Meeting after an amendment to the $6.7-million financial article that would have seen the rehabilitation of the current turf field & track (Brush Field) and installation of two new turf fields where the current grass field sits. Brush Field was taken off the docket, and $4.3 million was approved for this project.

But that was just the beginning, as surveys of the area showed the adjacent wetlands had expanded into the proposed project area. The design firm Nesra Engineering worked with the Field Committee and the Conservation Commission to build a plan for this complex site that would meet the town's athletic needs while also preserving the natural resource area.

In June 2025, a revised design was approved with a single full-sized field and a smaller U10 field to fit into the buildable space without disturbing the wetlands. Additional features of the site include terraced seating, ramp access, a walkway between fields, and new lighting.

"Both fields will have artificial turf with sub drainage and a rain garden to treat any overflow before entering Maple Meadow Brook," Bill Boivin, who served as Acting Chair at the January 22 Conservation Commission meeting, told Burlington Buzz. He went on to explain, "This brook is in the Shawsheen River watershed which does supply drinking water to several communities."

Recognizing the complexity of the project and the public benefit of the playing fields, the Commission granted waivers for both the 100-foot inner riparian zone (the transitional zone between terrestrial and aquatic habitats) and the 20-foot no-disturb zone.

"In compensation for [the Conservation Commision] waiving restrictions of disturbing some of the 100’ inner riverfront zone," said Boivin, "dozens of native shrubs and trees will be planted along and in the wetland resource area. The final result should be beautiful."

The Commission finalized several specific conditions, including a beveled edge on the field to prevent crumb rubber migration, compliance with clean water standards, and removal of invasive species in the vegetative area.

Once construction is complete, the applicants can begin using the fields after contacting Conservation Administration for approval, rather than waiting for a full Certificate of Compliance. They emphasized the critical role of the rain garden and infiltration systems in managing stormwater and potential contaminants from the synthetic turf.

With a unanimous vote, the Commission approved the project after granting the necessary waivers. While no dates have been formally announced, it's likely that the bidding process will begin in early 2026 with construction soon to follow.

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