Victory Field Committee Wants Decorative Fence along Orchard Street

The fence along Orchard Street in front of the track at Victory Field is a bit of a mishmash now, but the committee making recommendations for the renovation of the area wants to give it a more attractive look.

Members of the Ad Hoc Committee on Victory Field Phase 2 agreed they wanted to see something more decorative for the exterior fencing in front of the track.

“We want the fence to be welcoming, engaging and attractive,” said Committee member Elliot Friedman.

Glenn Howard, a designer from CDM Smith (the town’s contractor), brought in a few photos to illustrate what could be done with the fencing. One that appealed to the group had black fencing that looked like wrought iron but may be made from a different metal, with masonry piers or columns standing periodically along the length of the fence.

The group leaned toward that option, and said the piers could be made of brick similar in color to that used in the wall built in Phase 1 at the football/baseball field.

Resident Russ Arico said that he thought there should be options available when the final decision is made, including some less costly ones incase the price of option with masonry piers is too great.

The Committee agreed the they did not want to have a chainlink fence. The group voted 9-0 to recommend having some sort of decorative fencing along Orchard Street.

The group also discussed having an entry archway, possibly also made of metal. The consensus of the committee is that the archway should not be right on Orchard Street. They asked Howard to come up with a proposal for one that would be at the beginning of the section of the driveway that would be a pedestrian mall where vehicles and pedestrians would share the road. It would span an area between the track and an area near the back of the football bleachers.

The most contentious area of fencing discussed by the Victory Field Committee was a short section along the side of the tot lot, and which is right next to an abutting home on Orchard Street whose owner has complained about the noise from the tot lot.

Committee Chairman and Town Councilor Vincent Piccirilli proposed either having a 6-foot tall wooden fence or a 6-foot tall chain link fence, like the rest of the stretch of fence along the eastern edge of the track.

The resident asked for a masonry wall, but Piccirilli said that was not an option. The resident then asked for a taller wooden fence to block more of the sound. Piccirilli said it would be 6-feet tall.

Another resident objected to having a special wall for just one abutter. Councilor Tony Palomba said that be believed that many other decisions the committee had made was to help abutters of Victory Field.

The Committee voted against having a 6-foot tall wooden fence, with some members saying they could not support something the abutting neighbor did not want. Then they approved the chainlink fence 8-1, with Palomba voting against it.

The resident was upset by the decision and stormed out of the meeting.

The Victory Field Committee will meet next on Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. in the Lower Hearing Room inside Town Hall.

See other stories about the Victory Field Phase 2 recommendations:

Victory Field Committee Debates Lighting at Track, Touches on Football Field

Pedestrians & Cars to Share Victory Field Driveway, Fencing to be Replaced

Victory Field Parking Lot Could Become an Area Shared by Pedestrians, Cars

Victory Field Basketball Court to be Moved Slightly, New Storage Approved

Netting at Victory Field Track Scrapped, Walkers to be Prohibited at Certain Times

Committee Debates Victory Field’s Dual Role as Athletic Complex and Park