Schools
GHS Athletic Fields Will Reopen Soon, District Says
According to the update, Field 2 (grass), Field 3 (turf) and Field 4 (turf) are still closed to the public pending receipt of DEEP and EPA approval, but should be open soon, the district said.
's athletic fields are now free and clear of , and will soon all be open, the district announced Dec. 20.
According to a district enewsletter including an update on the MISA project, which involves the construction of a new auditorium on the north side of the high school, among other improvements, all seven athletic fields have tested free and clear of PCBs, which were .
According to the update, Field 2 (grass), Field 3 (turf) and Field 4 (turf) are still closed to the public pending receipt of DEEP and EPA approval (and in the case of Field 2, restoration of sod). Those fields should reopen soon, the district said.
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Meanwhile Field 5 (grass) is open and “fall maintenance activities are being conducted,” the district said. In addition Field 6 (turf) and Field 7 (turf) .
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Find out what's happening in Greenwichwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
As reported on Greenwich Patch, the athletic fields were closed this past fall after contaminated soil was unearthed adjacent to the school's west parking lot, and near the fields, as a result of initial site development activities. The discovery of PCBs in that area, already known to be landfill from the 1970s, was not only a setback to the MISA project: it forced school officials to close all seven fields until environmental testing and remediation was completed, . In addition the school’s west parking lot was closed for a period of months, forcing school officials to on .
Meanwhile additional environmental testing is reportedly being carried out, , in other areas of the school site to ensure no other “hot spots” are unearthed during construction.
"The Town and their consultant, AECOM have developed an overall project scope of work and estimated schedule for the environmental study of the site," the district said in its update. "The next phase of field work associated with the environmental investigation will be conducted during the week between Christmas and New Years. This period was selected in order to minimize the potential impacts to school activities. Findings from this study will be incorporated into the remediation planning for the site, including the preparation of preliminary cost estimates."
Once a preliminary estimate for environmental remediation is presented to the Town, the public will be invited to comment on the project through a series of public hearings, as it moves through the local approvals process.
