Windham, RSU 14 agree to create new playing fields at Manchester School

An architect's design proposal is shown for the creation of
new playing fields at Manchester School. The Town of
Windham has formally entered into an agreement with RSU 14
for the project and expects to have work completed by fall 2023.
COURTESY PHOTO

By Ed Pierce

If all goes according to plan, athletes could soon be using new playing fields about to be created near Manchester School in Windham. 

During a Windham Town Council meeting on Jan. 11, councilors unanimously voted to enter into an agreement with RSU 14 for the project, which also was approved by voters during the annual Windham Town Meeting last June. The RSU 14 Board of Directors have also voted to approve the agreement.

Windham Town Manager Barry Tibbetts said that the total cost of the project is estimated at $1.35 million, to be funded through a general obligation bond paid for by Windham recreation impact fees.

Tibbetts said that the agreement mutually benefits RSU 14 and the town and the proposed project also includes creation of a new road connecting Route 302 and Route 115 that can be used by school buses coming and going from the school that could help alleviate some traffic congestion in the area.

“This is a great arrangement for the town,” Tibbetts said.

The agreement specifically calls for Windham to be granted an easement in designated areas on the Manchester School property for the town to locate and construct athletic and recreational fields for public access, and to provide field maintenance when needed and schedule events there.

Windham Finance Committee members reviewed and discussed the proposal in drafting the town’s 2021-2022 budget with the town manager and department heads prior to presenting the proposal to the town council at a meeting last May.

Under the proposal, Windham would reconfigure one of the two existing ballfields at Manchester School and then build two additional ballfields, one for softball and another for baseball, along with clearing a large wooded area as a separate recreational playing field that can be used for soccer, field hockey, lacrosse, or other sporting events.

For the past year, Tibbetts has held discussions with RSU 14 Schools Superintendent Christopher Howell about developing the site, where games are currently played on the two existing fields by the Windham Softball Association and Windham Little League. During the meeting last May, Tibbetts said the project did not include plans to light the new fields, but that the Windham Softball Association and Windham Little League have expressed interest in raising funds to do that.    

The easement gives the town the right to locate, construct and pave a public road leading to the field from Tandberg Trail to the existing parking lots at the school.

According to Tibbetts, for safety purposes, the town’s use of the fields would be limited to “non-school hours” between the last bus departure from Manchester School and the next first bus arrival to Manchester School.

The initial term of the easement will be 20 years and will renew automatically every five years.

Windham agrees to design and construct the new fields and make improvements and maintain related facilities necessary for public use of the athletic and recreational fields. That includes clearing trees, installation of outfield fencing, safety fencing, irrigation systems, building baseball/softball dugouts and team benches, scoreboards, concession stands, equipment sheds, and rest rooms.

Tibbetts said with the Windham Town Council’s approval of the agreement with RSU 14, the town will now seek bond funding for the project and finish design work.

He said work will begin this fall and emphasized that Windham will require project contractors not to disrupt school or school activities with actual construction of the playing fields and road improvements to be scheduled during the summer when school is not in session.

“The field could potentially be in place by late summer or next fall,” Tibbetts said. <