Like other readers who have spoken here, we too moved to Westborough after the last lights vote over seventeen years ago. It is interesting that the addition of lights would even be considered an “issue” as the growth of extracurricular activities makes the addition of lights a necessity.
As other readers have mentioned, there are a very few towns that do not have lights. These towns have made other, more substantial investments in fields in their communities. Wellesley has seven fields at their disposal, plus additional space at area colleges that they utilize. Newton North has five, plus additional field resources within their town. As for proximity to historic districts, there are countless high school fields that will have lights on, and community activities in the heart of their communities. Marlborough, Maynard, Belmont, Fitchburg, Leominster, and on. Lexington High is in their world famous historic district. Concord-Carlisle field is on Thoreau Street. Lincoln-Sudbury is on the original Concord Road. History abounds, and is much a part of the activities we celebrate with our students’ activities in our communities.
Much has changed since the vote for lights seventeen years ago. One of the considerable changes is the tremendous growth of girls’ sports in Westborough. Sports like Girls Lacrosse, Field Hockey, and soccer have exploded in numbers of teams and participants. Many of these teams had one team of players, now, rightly so, the girls are participating in athletics in numbers that rival the boys. The added influx of participants, both boys and girls, has exceeded our field capacities.
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In a few weeks, daylight savings will bring sundown to around five o’clock. This means we have (6) boys, and (6) girls teams vying for field use in the short two hour window. This doesn’t include the marching band, who have become extremely creative in practicing on anything other than an actual field. Most days, these practices end in the dark, which is certainly not the safest option for the students, nor is it the expectation of our community to put them in such conditions.
One of the readers wrote about moving into the historic district with the high school as an abutter. She enjoys the convenience of the school for her use. She partakes in activities that are convenient to her, utilizing the field as she can and should. We are asking that the convenience afforded her be extended to the community as a whole, including the students, and members of Westborough at large. We are agreeing with her, and hope you join us in accepting the school’s proposal to protect the rights of all its citizens.
