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YORKTOWN, N.Y. -- Murphy Field at Yorktown High School will be out of action for at least three months while the artificial turf is replaced.
While the work is being done from mid-August to mid-November, district athletes that practice and play games on the multi-purpose field will be displaced. Lakeland School District has offered its field to the Yorktown varsity football team for home games but the junior varsity and freshman football, boys and girls soccer and girls field hockey squads need temporary space.
School officials met with the Yorktown Town Board, parks and recreation and highway employees and local athletic club representatives this week to seek an agreement with the town to use Legacy Field off Route 132 from 2 to 7 p.m. during the week and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.
"For varsity sports you need well groomed fields," Yorktown Supervisor Michael Grace said. "We're trying to be good neighbors with our school district. Our parks and rec programs are really the minor leagues for the high school."
Allowing the high school to tie up Legacy Field forces the Yorktown Athletic Club football program and Shrub Oak Athletic Club and Yorktown Youth Soccer Club to find other facilities, such as Granite Knolls and Hunterbrook.
However, some club representatives balked at having to pay for lights after already imposing a fee increase this year on participants.
"You can't ask me to pay $10,000. We can't do it. You'll destroy the club," said Yorktown Youth Soccer Club President Rick Romanski.
Yorktown Highway Superintendent Eric DiBartolo suggested someone contact Entergy since the nuclear power company often donates portable lights to municipalities.
"Entergy will work with you closely," DiBartolo said.
Yorktown Athletic Director Fio Nardone said the reason the turf field at the high school lasted only 10 years instead of the projected 13 is the heavy use it received from high school and club teams.
DiBartolo said Legacy Field will probably suffer the same fate with its current level of use.
"We will be in the same predicament seven years from now," DiBartolo said. "That needs to be considered right from jump street."
The town board gave its okay to the school district to use Legacy Field at no cost.
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