Middletown turf

Middletown is voting on a referendum question today (Courant).

Opponents and supporters of the measure agree that the Middletown Youth Soccer Association, where 1,200 kids play their organized ball, needs more fields. In fact, the soccer association began building the fields itself, but the project lagged when the money ran thin.

Now, with the city proposing to complete the project and take over control of the fields, the issue becomes one of cost....

The soccer league began developing what would have been eight grass fields on the city-owned land last year, but wavered after anticipated grants from state and federal soccer organizations fell through. The league had raised $200,000 and had use of $400,000 from a voter-approved open space fund, but couldn't afford to finish the complex on its own.

Assuming Cheshire continues down the path of working with CYB, perhaps CYB could establish some sort of mechanism to return donated funds. That way we would at least have that as an option, rather than being left with a similar situation... asking the voters to finish the project.

Don't get me wrong. I like the idea of private funding for fields (especially for turf!), but having options is always a good thing.

Tim White
Town Council, 4th District