HILLSDALE—The Recreation Commission will hold a town hall-style meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. at Borough Hall to gather public feedback on proposed upgrades for Memorial Field, which could cost $4 million to $6 million, borough administrator Michael Ghassali said at the Oct. 8 council meeting.
The meeting, which will also be livestreamed on the borough’s YouTube channel, invites residents, neighboring homeowners, coaches, and players to weigh in on “concept plans” for a multi-use synthetic turf sports field. Plans also include field lighting, a basketball court, a field house, bleachers, and a scoreboard.
Ghassali said officials won’t release a “draft concept plan” before Nov. 13 due to possible revisions. He said they plan to share finalized plans, likely in color, after the meeting.
Councilman John Ruocco and Hillsdale Environmental Commission chair Fred Rubel have raised concerns about artificial turf, citing potential health and safety risks. They called for more study, but other council members supported the idea, noting that the state subsidizes artificial turf fields throughout New Jersey.
Ghassali said the upgrades would include a synthetic turf field to help manage the overuse of the borough’s natural grass fields, providing a durable year-round surface.