Hingham Votes in New Fields, Artificial Turf, Lights

It took hours of discussion between 1,800 residents and a ballot vote, but the majority of Hingham citizens approved new high school fields, artificial turf and lights on Monday night.

“It's been 58 years since we addressed these fields, 58 years,” Hingham High School Athletic  Director Margaret Conaty said.

The majority of Hingham residents mirrored Conaty’s frustration. 

In a ballot vote, Hingham residents voted 1,354 to  347 to approve Article 8.  The vote will give Hingham High School a new multi-purpose playing field with fencing, landscape, drainage and gate improvements. It will also give the high school new baseball and softball fields, over 100 additional parking spots, a larger press box and bleachers that will seat 1,800 spectators.

The majority of town also approved a new synthetic turf field and four 80 foot lights, despite concerns from neighbors.

Mark Rockoff, a Pleasant Street resident said the lights would be the size of eight story buildings and would ruin Hingham’s skyline. He said night games would be too noisy for the surrounding neighborhoods.

“The structures will tower over homes as well as over the tree line and many of Hingham’s iconic church steeples,” he said. “Is this really the new skyline that the citizens of Hingham desire?”

He pointed to prestigious schools such as Milton Academy and Thayer Academy that have successful athletic programs and beautiful playing fields without game lights.

Joan Mullen of Downing Street said night games will disrupt the quality of life in the quiet neighborhoods in proximity to HHS.

But John McNickle of Middle Street responded by saying neighbors  like Mullen  should have  expected community events when they decided to live near the school.

“When you’re in the middle of things, traffic goes with that,” McNickle said. “Schools are the heart and soul of the community.”

Norman Degreve of  Downing  Street and Linda Jones of Thistle Patch Way each feared the money would take away funds from education.

Jones said she is sickened by the town’s misuse of money and referred to the fields project as a “gold-plated sports complex.” 

“Why must the jocks get all the goodies?” she asked.

Hingham Superintendent Dr. Dorothy Galo responded by assuring residents that building the fields would not diminish Hingham’s educational responsibility. She referred to Boston Magazine's ranking of the schools, which placed Hingham High School 32 out of 50 in Eastern Massachusetts and said residents should look at it in a positive light.

“Thirty out of 300 schools in the state is pretty damn good… I am proud of all that we do.”

The approved $4.54 million overhaul for the fields will be paid for with private donations and as much as $4.2 million in town money.

Voters rejected an alternative proposal from neighbors that would not exceed  $2.75 million. This plan would have rebuilt the fields without lights and bleachers that would seat no more than 1,000 spectators.

The discussion and votes took over two hours.