Dear Watertown Town Council Members,

We are signing this petition to voice our opposition to the second phase of construction at Victory Field. We understand that this phase includes plans for another turf field in the middle of the track, installation of more lights and fences, and removal of grass and trees. As residents of Watertown, we feel that the current Victory Field track and field is a wonderful place to have a picnic, throw a ball, or walk for exercise. We feel the removal of grass and trees, and installation of huge lights and fences will absolutely change the accessibility of this public space. The current lighting at the turf field (Phase 1) already shines onto the hill, completely changing the view of the sky on a summer night, not to mention saturating our homes (which are no longer capable of complete darkness until the turf lights have been shut down). In the warmer months, the lights from the turf field don't turn off until very late most evenings.

As far as sporting events in our community, we cannot imagine that we need additional space on top of the 160,000 square feet recently installed during Phase 1, which cost nearly three million dollars to build. This not only seems unnecessary, but fiscally irresponsible.  If scheduling is the issue, surely there are other solutions besides ripping up the grass, planting more turf, and spending millions more.

We invite you to join us, the residents of Watertown, on the grass at Victory Field this spring, to see how the space is currently used and enjoyed, and how the current lighting already excessively illuminates the neighborhood. We ask you to take a stand against polluting the neighborhood further, and destroying this well-loved Watertown public resource.

 Thank you.