Quite frankly, if the renovation of Miller is going to be done right, an artificial turf field is the way to go. The Town of Cohasset, for example, which has a population less than half of that of Winthrop, raised almost $500,000 in cash (by selling bricks to donors that are installed at the entrance to the field) and then bonded the rest (about another $500,000) to install a turf field and a new rubberized track surface. The bonded part came from a combination of fees raised through that town’s youth programs (who pledged a certain sum over a 15-year period) and from the money saved by the town from caring for, and maintaining, the grass field (and Miller always is a wreck after a rainstorm).
The end result is a beautiful, all weather field, which is used day and night by high school and youth teams, virtually all year round.
Winthrop can, and should, do the same thing. It will be a tremendous asset for our community for everybody, including senior citizens who will be able to use the rubberized track surface for walking clubs, workouts, etc. And, if funded correctly, it will not cost the taxpayers a dime.