Vernon/Ellington Shared Field Deal Closes, Land Dedicated

VERNON/ELLINGTON, CT — Youth sports coaches and municipal leaders from from Vernon and Ellington Friday gathered at the 42-acre site of what will become a shared field complex bordering the Hockanum River to officially dedicate the land.

The deal closed on Tuesday on the $1.93 project funded by the town of Vernon and the land was formally dedicated in a small ceremony. The complex will operate under a shared services agreement between the two towns.

"This is a great opportunity for Ellington to work with Vernon," Ellington First Selectman Lori Spielman said. "Like Vernon, Ellington does not have enough fields for all of our youth sports teams. By partnering with Vernon, we have more fields we can use without purchasing land and maintaining more fields. I’m just thrilled we could do this together."

(William Meier/Town Of Vernon)

The concept was first proposed about two years ago and came to fruition over the past year.

The plan calls for four fields suitable for lacrosse and soccer to be built in phases, and as part of what Vernon Mayor Daniel Champagne called a "partnership with the youth sports organizations that will use the fields."

Open space, an improved riverbank and walking trails are also planned for the land.

Champagne also said the complex will allow Vernon to host tournaments. A concession stand is included in the plans.

Phase 1 calls for one regulation lacrosse/soccer field to be built immediately with the hope that it can be used sometime in 2022. The other fields will be built in succession, Champagne said.

Champagne said he and youth sports leaders looked all over Vernon for property where multiple sports fields could be built, but could not find anything suitable. He then turned to the land bordering the two towns.

"I told (local sports clubs) I thought we could build at least four fields," he said. “They could see my vision for the property."

"It was everything we wanted it to be and more," said Vernon Soccer Club President Keith Hodson, who toured the land with Champagne. "There’s a lot of opportunity and space for growth there."

The money for the purchase is being taken from Vernon's general fund by using extra revenues from money management, officials said. No borrowing has been proposed.

The parcels were leased farmland and wetlands, roughly behind the CVS and Walgreens stores between Windermere Avenue and Route 83. Here they are:

• 21.52 acres assessed in Ellington for $799,660 and listed for $550,000. Vernon received an appraisal of $455,000 and made a successful bid of $445,000.
• 9.9 acres along the Hockanum listed for $27,270 and bought for $20,000.
• 11 acres in Ellington assessed at $378,000, listed for $399,000 and bought for $278,000.