ADAMS, Mass. — Last year's news of a half-million dollar renovation of Russell Field was welcome to everyone who has used the rapidly deteriorating field.

 

An uneven playing surface, non-functioning scoreboard and dilapidated dugouts and storage facilities are at the top of the list of problems. Despite the Department of Public Work's best efforts, the field has reached its useful lifespan. The town will spend about $500,000 from its Community Development Block Grant money to completely renovate the heavily used field this year.

 

That's the good news. Problems begin when the town has to cram three different softball organizations into one field while Russell is undergoing construction.

 

The Parks Commission heard from the Hoosac Valley junior varsity softball team, the Adams Lassie League, and Adams/Cheshire/Savoy (ACS) Girls Softball at Monday night's meeting. All three leagues were looking to book dates at nearby Reid Field for their upcoming seasons.

 

"At the meeting last month the request [for field usage] was tabled to try to get a better understanding of field availability because of the work unfolding this year at Russell Field. So this is a collaborative thing between all the groups that are going to be using Reid field," said Lou Moser, president of ACS Girls Softball.

 

Moser indicated he had met prior to Monday's meeting with Corey Bishop, who was there representing Lassie League, to talk over some issues that might arise.

 

"It was pretty hard for us to do a schedule until we got an understanding of what the JV impact was going to be," Moser told the commission.

 

Traditionally the Hoosac Valley varsity and the Lassie League have used Russell Field for games and practices while the JV team utilized Reid. Three years ago, there was a split among the youth leagues and ACS was born. Since the split, ACS has used Reid Field and other facilities outside the town for practices and games while Lassie League stayed at Russell.

 

This leaves possibly a dozen in-town teams and several travel teams between two leagues looking for play and practice space. Not to mention the varsity and JV teams who are given first priority. The commission approved the usage request by Hoosac Valley Athletic Director Patrick Mahoney for the JV softball team. He anticipates up to nine home games plus practices on off days until June 1.

 

To Bishop, this leaves very little wiggle room for the commission.

 

"We've got multiple travel teams and a small house league that we're working with. If they are taking this five days a week ... I'd say that limits everybody. Just as long as we're getting an equitable split between ourselves and ACS as we're working around [the JV] I'm good," he said.

 

There was no field usage request for the varsity softball team because head coach Mike Ameen has been making plans, along with Mahoney, to play all 18 of their scheduled games outside of the school district.

 

Ameen made it clear to the commission this is not ideal and broached the possibility of using Russell Field through the bid process and planning stages while it remains intact.

 

"What is going on with Russell Field? I know you're saying it's unavailable ... we're done by the end of May. I heard they're going to put the bid out in April and accepted sometime in May. I'm not sure if that's true but that's what I've heard. We're gonna be gone by then," Ameen said. "Why can't we use Russell for the varsity team and even try to incorporate some of the JV stuff over there? That would alleviate some of the pressure over at Reid. The worst thing for me would be to drive by Russell Field in the middle of April and see nobody on the field.

 

"If the field is available it would alleviate a lot of stress for a lot of people. I'd like to be able to play our games there if it's available. To help with the transportation costs for the school ... we won't have the availability to play in front of our home fans and it also puts us at a competitive disadvantage."

 

The commissioners were amenable to the idea but prefaced their comments by making it clear they would have to talk to Community Development and the DPW before any decisions were made.

 

"We were told at the last meeting by Becky [Ferguson] at Community Development that the field could not be used. While they're putting the contract out for bid ... the DPW is supposed to be doing all the preliminary work so it's based on when the DPW schedules that preliminary work," said Commissioner Cynthia Bird.

 

Ameen asked for better clarification on the timeline of work.

 

"You said 'supposed to,' I'm saying we'll abide by anything you guys say but if you don't have a set date, let us use it until you have a set date," he said to Bird.

 

Bird said she was in agreement and had been surprised last month on learning the contracts were not ready to go out to bid. 

 

Recently hired DPW Superintendent Robert Tober said he's still getting his feet wet but offered to look into it when asked by Bird if a schedule has been set.

 

"Unfortunately I can't shed too much light because I don't know any more than you do but I can say this, if the field is not being constructed and it is available then it should be available," he told the commission. "I can find out what the agenda is but it's all driven by when that construction starts."

 

The commissioners approved all three requests for the use of Reid Field and is putting the onus on the two youth leagues to figure out an equitable schedule while they work around the JV's. In the interim, they will be talking to Community Development to gauge whether Russell Field will be available for a portion of the season.

 

In other usage requests, the Hoosac Valley baseball teams scheduled their usual handful of games for Renfrew Field. The varsity and JV teams will be playing four games at the Friend Street facility instead of at their regular field at Hoosa Valley High School. 

 

Commissioner James Fassell asked if they planned on having any practices at Renfrew, as in years past the field's use has been limited to games. This led to the questioning of that policy by Bishop.

 

"Why is Renfrew treated like it's treated when other facilities in town are not treated like Renfrew? We can practice on all these other fields, we can do anything we want but we can't go to Renfrew to practice. What makes Renfrew different from the Little League Field, from Reid, from Russell, from these other places that we have?" he asked.

 

Bird agreed with Bishop and said she was unsure when the whole process started.

 

"I do understand where Corey's coming from. Renfrew is a locked facility and it tends to have certain requirements to be used and not used where Reid and Russell are just ... it doesn't matter how many leagues are playing, it doesn't matter if they're going to practice in the morning, noon or night," she said. "But I don't have an answer. Ever since Renfrew got to be a locked field it seems to have a higher standard. Maybe Russell Field will end up being the golden child after this is all done."

 

The commission also approved the Berkshire Adult Baseball League for Renfrew Field. The league uses the field for games on Sunday mornings through spring and summer and has an occasional Wednesday night game.

 

The commission will take up the possible use of Russell Field this year and practices at Renfrew at its next meeting. The regular meeting is Monday, April 13, at 6 p.m. but the commission will most likely meet before then because of some time sensitive issues so check in with the Town of Adams website.