Newton School Fields Set To Reopen After Two-year Closure

NEWTON, MA — A recreational space is on the verge of reopening after a two-year closure.

The Burr Elementary School fields at 171 Pine St. will reopen in July, Mayor Marc Laredo announced. The 10-acre space was shut down in the spring of 2024 and was only expected to be that way for six months. The closure was carried out to fix sitegrading issues and sloping terrain. According to the city, the delays occurred due to local wildlife concerns that changed some of the execution in order to comply with environmental regulations as well as extensive weed growth on the property.

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One of our goals since January has been to balance getting these fields healthy and ready for active use with getting them open as soon as possible,” Laredo said. “While the newly planted grass fields require additional time to fully establish before they can support organized sports activities later this fall, the fields are getting close to ready for informal light recreational use over the summer.”

New additions the project will yield include two newly-planted multi-purpose fields and a paved walking path around the perimeter. The fields are meant to be used for recreational sports such as soccer, flag football, and ultimate frisbee. Burr also has basketball courts on site.

Burr Elementary School dates back to the19th century and is named after resident Charles Burr, who was known for civic activity, philanthropy, and role with the Evangelical Congregational Church of Auburndale. The school had two prior locations before its current building was built in 1967.

“We’re excited for the residents of Auburndale and beyond to be able to enjoy this open space again soon,” Laredo said.

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