Purchase of synthetic grass

Norwell selectmen met Wednesday night with the Athletic Fields Committee, proponents of new, artificial turf playing fields. The fields would augment the heavily used natural turf fields at the high school. Some residents have campaigned for the fields for more than a year, while Oothers have objections regarding the possibility of increased injury and bacterial infection.

But the main objection is cost.

The synthetic grass fields would cost $3.5 million, including engineering, site preparation and the turf material. The field committee proposes using Community Preservation Act, or CPA, funds for the bulk of the engineering and site preparation. The state regulations controlling use of CPA does not allow their use  for purchase of artificial turf. Proponents of the new fields have begun fundraising for the $600,000 cost of the material.

The Norwell Athletic Fields Committee visits next with Norwell’s CPA Committee.

Supporters of the turf field -- including members of Friends of the Tewksbury Community Athletic Complex, the nonprofit group that raised the $50,000 originally to be used toward a much larger, multi-sport complex -- may regroup and

Though the town expected to receive word on its application in mid-October, grant awards were not announced until December. Under the PARC program, 20 communities throughout the state received at total of $7,186,700. The list of funded projects includes athletic field installation or resurfacing in Agawam, Brockton, East Boston and Springfield.

According to the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, criteria used in determining grants includes project quality and demographics. Preference is given to park projects located close to urban centers and public transportation, and to those serving low-income neighborhoods or neighborhoods where 25 percent or more of the residents are a minority, foreign-born or lacking in English-language proficiency.