Oakmont Recreation Board addresses concerns regarding field lights, some residents unconvinced

Some community members’ worries were put to bed Wednesday night after the Oakmont Recreation Board held a second public meeting regarding lighting at the sports fields at Riverside Park.

Riverview High School uses the park fields for its home football, soccer, baseball and softball games.

“The goal of this project is going to be no tax dollars from the borough,” board member Bill Tomlinson said. “That’s always been the intent.”

Tomlinson said the board had heard concerns from residents about whether taxpayers would have to shoulder a tax increase if the project is not funded by grants or donations. Funding the project through grants or donations, he said, is the only way Oakmont officials would approve the project.

“If we can’t get it fully funded, the scope of the project could change or it could not happen,” Tomlinson said.

Between grants and donations, the borough already has secured a little more than $400,000 to put toward the project. The project’s total cost is projected to be around $990,000.

Council members John Arnold, Jen Paris and Jamie Leonardi attended the recreation board meeting and made their position clear.

Leonardi read a statement on behalf of the council saying members understand the value the project could bring to the community.

“However, our duty is to ensure that the projects at this scale are financially responsible and fully funded before approval,” Leonardi said. “The borough will not raise taxes or redirect funds to cover this project.”

She said in April that she and Council President Nancy Ride met with Riverview Superintendent Neil English and school board President Wendy Wilton to tell them the school district would have to pick up any remaining tab.

English attended Wednesday night’s meeting and said the district does not intend to raise taxes to complete the project.

“While we’ve seen that advocacy and public support have been active, we have not seen any other visible fundraising or financial planning efforts initiated by the district or booster groups,” Leonardi said.

Council encouraged the district to begin organizing its funding efforts now to make the project’s progress more efficient when grant application results come in.

Tony Lascola, chair of the parks and recreation committee, said he has been in contact with vendors to compare costs and see what can be done to prevent glare from the lights. Lascola said glare has been a primary concern among residents who don’t support the project.

Sally Vasko, who lives next to the park, said she has been dealing with glare from lights on the dek hockey rink in the park. Vasko said there’s also not enough police presence at the park to keep the area “under control” during times of increased activity the lights will bring.

Marisa Patsey, whose house also abuts the field, said she’s worried about the lights decreasing the value of her home as well as her quality of life. She brought up concerns about maintenance costs, parking availability, and liability and safety issues.

“During the night games this year, there were very large groups of kids — some were very young — running around all through the park, including the bottom, dark section,” Patsey said.

Lascola said the recreation board is considering recommending a $35 charge for each three-hour period for organizations that use the field. He said additional police presence would be an option for night events to keep the public safe and maintain order for traffic and spectators.

Patsey said it’s OK that Riverview doesn’t have lights on its football field, as it’s one of the factors that helps the district stick out.

“We’re unique in many ways,” Patsey said.

Kassandra Stotler has lived in Oakmont for 20 years. She said it’s encouraging that there’s so much support for lights on the field.

“It means our community is growing, and that’s not a bad thing,” she said.

Paula Tomlinson, a rec board member and Bill Tomlinson’s wife, supports the project even though her children will have graduated from the district by the time the lights are in use.

“I think it’s a fantastic idea,” she said. “I think it is part of improving our community.”

She acknowledged that homes along Second Street take the brunt of the dek hockey lights and understands residents’ hesitation to support more lights.

“I get there’s traffic and those things that we’re going to start bringing crowds here,” she said. “But I think it’s also that our town is evolving.”

Sorting out the funds

Riverview is the last public school district in the WPIAL without a lighted football field. Depending on the results of a $750,000 state Commonwealth Financing Authority Local Share Award grant application, that might not be the case for long.

Bill Tomlinson said the length of the project would depend on state funding and council’s decision regarding the project. Without a state budget, it’s impossible to know what grant money might be available, he said.

Here’s a breakdown of projected costs:

• Installation of 10 70-foot-tall light poles would cost $600,000 for installation, foundation, mounts, lighting and electronic controls.

• Conduit and wiring would cost $112,000.

• Contingency and engineering would account for $165,000.

• Subsurface investigation for concrete foundations would cost $65,000.

• Electrical service upgrade and final connections would account for $28,000.

• Restoration of disturbed areas would cost $20,000.

The board used North Hills High School’s football field as an example of what the lights are intended to look like.

They would be angled down toward the field to prevent shining into homes surrounding the field. Tomlinson said that with updated technology, the board anticipates very little light spreading outside the fence of the park.

“There will maybe be some minor residual lighting for some of the neighbors, but it shouldn’t be impacting too much,” he said. “We’ll be working to make sure the lights are only used at certain times.”

Lighting will consist of 10 poles around the perimeter of the football and baseball fields. Different light configurations would be in use for specific events. In most cases, the lights on the 10 poles would not be utilized all at once.

The school district would be the lights’ primary user, as it hosts five or six football games, 14 baseball games, seven boys soccer games and nine girls soccer games per year.

Night games usually end by 10 p.m.

The Riverview Athletic Association also uses the field for baseball, softball and flag football games.