Politics & Government

Bedford Special Town Meeting Votes for Designs for Athletic Fields at Mudge and Liljegren Way

Article 6 included $150,000 in Community Preservation funding for athletic field designs for Mudge Way and Liljegren Way.

 

All four items under Article 6 on the Special Town Meeting warrant were passed by Bedford voters, although an amendment to item 15, concerning $150,000 in Community Preservation funding for ahtletic field designs at Mudge and Liljegren Way, was put forward by one Town Meeting member. 

Ken Hall put forward an amendment to Article 6 item 15, decreasing the Community Preservation funding to $60,000, which would have been enough to fund designs for natural grass fields at Mudge and Liljegren Way. 

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"I fail to see the need for a design for artificial turf fields at Saint. Michael's," said Hall, referring to the land the Town purchased from the Archdiocese of Boston

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Special Town Meeting members voted in a majority against the amendment, which refocused attention on item 15 as it appeared in the warrant, and passed with a majority voice vote. 

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The Selectmen had recommended approval on all of the items under Article 6, although Selectmen William Moonan said he was concerned that approving item 15 at Special Town Meeting could be premature, as there are no specifications as to whether the designs would be for one or two fields or for natural grass or artificial turf. 

Ronald Cordes, a resident of Jeffrey Circle, said he believe that when the Town bought the land at 9 Mudge and Liljegren Way it was under the presumption that athletic fields would be designed at that location. 

"I don't see where this town has a logical case for not building playing fields on land we spent $2 million to build playing fields on," Cordes said. 

The vote on athletic fields at Mudge and Liljegren way followed a majority vote to approve a $1.1 million project that will see the installation of a synthetic turf field as well as other renovations at Sabourin Stadium.

 


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