By Richard Kaufman
Sentinel Reporter
For about a decade now, the playing field at Hamilton Avenue School has been viewed as unsafe, since it was left uneven following the rehabilitation of the school, construction of a new parking garage and the installation of underground geothermal wells.
Greenwich Public Schools and engineering consultant, Milone & MacBroom, have devised a project to make the field level, but they need to remove 19 trees at the location in order to do so.
Residents are urging officials to find a better solution.
A public hearing on the potential tree removals was held earlier this week at Town Hall by the Tree Warden of Greenwich, Steve Gospodinoff, and Gregory Kramer, the Superintendent of Parks and Trees.
A decision from Gospodinoff is expected soon.
The 19 trees, which include 12 mature Linden Trees, were posted for removal by Gospodinoff, on June 28. Letters of objections were submitted within 10 days of the posting, which triggered a public hearing.
As a result of the construction approximately 10 years ago, the elevation of the field was raised about 5-6 percent, according to Dan Watson, Director of Facilities for the school district.
Fill must be added on the northern end of the site, but by doing so, the base of the trees would be covered and they would essentially suffocate, Watson said.
“Without removing these trees and providing a slope down to those trees, if they were to remain, the field would be lessened in level surface area,” Watson added. “Speaking to those who represent Hamilton Avenue and the RTM, the need to have a level field is something that’s a concern to the locals. Trying to get it back to where it was as an overall flat surface is our ultimate goal.”
Many residents noted the beauty of the trees and the fact they provide clean air, shade and home to wildlife. There are plans for the trees to be replaced, but several residents noted that it would take years for the replacements to grow and become useful.
Francia Alvarez, from the Greenwich Tree Conservancy, wants to see the soil testing results first.
“How can we determine if we can replace any trees if we don’t know if there are contaminants in the soil?” she said.
Jessica Taal, a resident who lives across from the trees in question, said Greenwich has the resources and education to find better solutions.
“This is a brute force project; this is not about elegance at all,” she said. “I think that’s the biggest travesty — to cut down mature, beautiful trees to level the field, which can be done in other ways. Losing two feet of ground [on the playing field] is nothing in comparison to what we would lose by cutting down the trees.”
Sarah Evans, a PTA member at Hamilton Avenue School, said everyone in the school community is “thrilled” that the field project is finally going forward after years of delay, but the fact that a level surface would come at the expense of the trees is “very upsetting.”
Tom Conelias, RTM District 3 chair from Chickahominy, said the field is of paramount importance.
“Unfortunately, to do [this project] the right way, the trees must be removed,” Conelias said. “We are replacing the trees. We have the smallest playing field of any school in Greenwich. This will enlarge the field and make it a level playing field for the future of our kids. I’m sorry the trees have to come down.”
Dave D’Andrea, a lifetime Chickahominy resident, urged Gospodinoff to develop a compromise by replacing the trees with “very mature” trees, so they would provide the same kind of shade that’s there now. However, that option would be more costly.
“This is really about the kids,” D’Andrea added. “It’s about the kids that are at the school. Anyone else who goes there is secondary. Try to develop a compromise. We need the field to happen; this shouldn’t be delayed any more.”
Darlene Angotto has taught at Hamilton Avenue School since 1986, and said the project desperately needs to get done.
“I know the field that we had before. I also know how much it means to be outside on a really hot day and have some shade. My request would be, can there be a compromise somehow?” she said.
The project will still be scrutinized after Gospodinoff’s decision, as he’s only making a determination about the trees.
Gospodinoff said a decision would come within three days of the public hearing.
