McCormac, Smith break ground for synthetic turf Woodbridge High School to have new field in time for fall season BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer PHOTOS BY KATHY CHANG Township officials break ground on the new state-of-the-art multipurpose synthetic turf field at the Woodbridge High School on July 11. All the speculation and talk of a new state-of-the-art, multipurpose synthetic turf field at the Woodbridge High School will become a reality in the fall. And if everything goes as planned, the first home football game for the 2007-08 school year may be played on the new field. "If not the first, then the second," said Mayor John E. McCormac. Superintendent of Schools Vincent Smith said the implementation of a new synthetic field has been talked about over the years. "This may not be a city stadium just yet, but this will go a long way for years to come," he said. "The most important thing is for the kids to be safe on the playing fields. We worked hard, but with defeated budgets over the years, the athletic facilities were left out. Without this partnership, we probably couldn't do anything until five to 10 years from now on the athletic facilities." A backhoe will be used to tear up the existing field before it can be graded and the new synthetic turf placed on top. The field is expected to be ready by the fall. The mayor and superintendent along with Woodbridge High School Principal Lee Warren, Township Recreation Director John Eberhardt, Board of Education members, representatives of the township's Youth Recreation Council, CME Associates, and Land Tek Construction broke ground on the new synthetic turf field July 11. The installation of the $880,000 synthetic field is the first modern field to be constructed in the township, according to officials. McCormac said the field construction project went to public bid on May 25. The construction contract was awarded June 13 to Land Tek Construction Co. and construction on the field began in July. "We have had the natural turf field since its installation in the mid-1950s," said Warren. "Over the years, wear and tear has caused the field to be unusable at certain times." Joseph Ward, athletic director at Woodbridge High School, added that the natural turf field has needed a "tremendous amount of maintenance." "It's daily," he said. "Most of the games have been played on the field; however, sometimes we would have to use other venues." Brian Russo, Woodbridge High School's football coach, and Brian Figueiredo, girls soccer coach, said their teams are excited about the new field. "It was impossible to play a girls soccer game on Saturday after a Friday night football game," said Figueiredo. "Especially after a heavy rain," added Russo. "The field would be torn up." Mike McClelland, who is the project designer from CME Associates, said teams would be able to play on the synthetic turf field in any kind of weather. "With the natural turf field, teams would have to wait a few days after a game," he said. "With the new field, teams can play game after game." McCormac said the new field represents a giant step forward for Woodbridge Township, the Board of Education, and for youth sports programs and athletes. "There are 150 synthetic turf fields in townships throughout the state of New Jersey, and I'm glad Woodbridge Township can be one of them," said McCormac. "Athletes from throughout Woodbridge Township, our three high schools and middle schools will benefit from this investment in their sporting future," he said. "And Woodbridge sport programs and athletes will now be competitive with neighboring high school sport programs and will be able to engage the competition on a level playing field." Smith added that the partnership between the township administration and the school district resulted in the revitalization of school athletic facilities, including the new synthetic playing field at Woodbridge High School, a new multipurpose track at Colonia High School, and new tennis courts at John F. Kennedy Memorial High School in Iselin. "These projects were achieved by maximizing resources," said Smith. McCormac said he fielded many questions on why Woodbridge High School was selected to receive a new turf field and not the other high schools. "Woodbridge High School is the only field with lights," he said. "Teams can play until 10 to 11 at night. The track at Colonia High School was the worst - you couldn't even walk on it and we made the decision to upgrade the tennis courts at JFK High School." The new synthetic turf field, along with upgraded security systems and infrastructure improvements at other township school facilities, will utilize revenue generated from the ProLogis warehouse construction project. In January at the Township Council meeting, McCormac presented an ordinance, which said the township would provide a total of $10 million to ProLogis through redevelopment-area bonds as the company constructs its proposed 10 buildings along the waterfront in Port Reading. McCormac called the project "the most significant public and private business venture undertaken in the township since Woodbridge Commons." Three years ago ProLogis, a Denver-based distribution facilities developer, expressed interest in constructing 10 massive warehouses - 300,000 square feet each - in Port Reading and has asked the township for help to finish the plan. The plan has been scaled back recently by the township Planning Board. "We are making sure ProLogis' project succeeds by helping the company, and at the same time we can help the school district with amenities that they couldn't meet with their recent [$87 million] referendum," said McCormac in January. "We receive 100 percent of the tax revenue from ProLogis," said McCormac. "The project will pay the township 3 million in taxes when the project is fully complete. The township is going to release the money from the bond in $1 million increments as each warehouse is finished." The school's referendum addressed the infrastructure needs, including the roofs, boilers, air conditioners, windows and other amenities; however, four schools were not able to get new windows through the referendum. The deal would provide $1 million to finish the windows at the four schools - Port Reading Elementary School, Lafayette Estates School in Fords, Woodbine Elementary School and Colonia High School. Half a million dollars will be allocated to complete school security upgrades, which was McCormac's first order of business when he became mayor in November. The township will also make contributions of $500,000 to aid the Port Reading Fire District and the Port Reading First Aid Squad to get equipment. "If we didn't decide to take on this project, the township would have received nothing," said McCormac. "But with this project, the township receives road, drainage improvements, school windows and security upgrades, athletic facility improvements, emergency response equipment and significant tax dollars for property tax relief."