Town Meeting asked to approve $227,000 to restore Melican Middle School athletic fields

Town Meeting · Meeting of March 27, 2026

Northborough's Community Preservation Committee is asking Town Meeting to fund $227,000 in repairs to softball and baseball fields behind Melican Middle School. John Campbell, presenting for the committee, said the applicant — the Softball Baseball Association working with Melican Middle School — reduced the original request from $267,000 to $227,000 before submission. The fields have been effectively unusable because of rusted backstop fencing that is curling up from the ground, drainage problems that force multi-day postponements after rain, and benches described as crooked and pulled from the ground.

Umpires have reportedly warned they may ban games at the site due to unsafe conditions. The planned work covers regrading, new fencing, repaired home plate and pitching areas, and dugouts on both fields. With only one other usable softball field in town, the $227,000 CPA article is one of three preservation projects headed to Town Meeting this year.

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Source: the Town Meeting meeting of March 27, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.