An oversized soccer field has opened in Danbury.  It allows for three games going the short way on the field, or one game the long way.  The field is also lined for field hockey, lacrosse and football. 

There is a scoreboard and grandstand installed.  Parking around the field has been paved and lined.  

Lights were donated by Danbury Youth Soccer Club, a value of $200,000.  The lights extend the use of the field to 9pm.  The lights will be turned off promptly at 9pm, so as not to disturb area residents in the evenings.

Mayor Mark Boughton called it a great asset for the City and a first class facility.

(Photos: Mayor Mark Boughton)

This is a replacement for the field that has been used on 13 acres of land off Old Ridgebury Road sold last fall to Subway co-founder Peter Buck.  Boughton says Buck has been very generous in letting the City use the field as long as people want.  When the sale was made, Danbury Youth Soccer and others questioned where the displaced kids would be able to play in the future.  Boughton says DYS is growing and has over 1,000 children participating. 

He notes that this new field enhances the new Westside Middle School and the recently renovated Mill Ridge Elementary School because kids can use the new field for gym and activities.

The $1.3 million field is being paid for with surplus money from the school bond project that came in about $5 million under budget.  The rest of that money will be reprogrammed and targeted toward Danbury High School to save taxpayers some money on the DHS2020 addition project.

Besides Danbury High School, this is the only lighted artificial turf field in the City.